Yotan's Dating Service
by Lexicon Katzchen
Summary: Yohji makes a bet that he can set Shuldich up with his perfect match within three weeks. Will he suceed? Or will Shuldich kill him before three weeks are up? AU, YAOI, S/Y
1. Meeting New People

Disclaimer: If I owned Weis Kruz, I wouldn't be writing fics about it. And there would be a lot more yaoi in the series. Also, I am broke, so suing me would get you some pocket lint at best. :)  
  
Please REVIEW!!!  
Yotan's Dating Service  
Chapter 1  
Shuldich sat in an unnamed bar somewhere in Tokyo, nursing the similarly unnamed alcohol in front of him. One would think that he'd want to avoid bars and alcohol, considering that he was around it all the time for his job, but nevertheless, he always found himself in one of these places on the rare nights he took off. Not that he didn't like his job - being a manager to a club was the best occupation he could possibly think of. But it did get tiring after a while. It always felt like there was a pressure on him when he was in crowds, like everyone was trying to imprint him in some way.  
  
He supposed that that was why he always ended up in a place like this he mused, examining his surroundings. It was well lit but a bit smoky, a bar with several tables against the wall. There was a jukebox softly playing in the back of the room. It was nice, peaceful. Somewhere people could go to meet one another, or just be by themselves. No blaring music, no press of bodies or flashing lights.  
  
He really did appreciate these places. He glanced back at his drink, not even trying to figure out what it was. It was a clear liquid - in Shuldich's experience, that usually meant it was to be respected in the alcohol world.  
  
There had been a time when he would have gulped something like this down like water, but that was before, when he was still living in Germany. When he was still reeling from his life falling apart again and again.  
  
Shuldich realized that he was falling, yet again, into depression. Normally he wouldn't care about that, but with his job at the club he had to stay at least semi-respectable. Had to make a good impression on the employees. That meant he couldn't come in the next morning with a hangover.  
  
Shu looked up at the bar once more to distract himself. There weren't too many people there - enough that the place looked prosperous, but not bustling, some people sitting at tables, one group of college students in the back, quietly laughing and chatting. The bar was almost filled up, but still had a few seats here and there, and was well within the lady bartenders capabilities to handle while still chatting with her customers.  
  
He looked at the bartender for a moment, appreciating the view. She was a bleached blonde, which would usually put him off, but it worked for her. She had a nice figure, and an even nicer, warm smile. Shu idly wondered what she was like.  
  
You mean what she's like in bed. Oh yeah. That's right, couldn't get attached. Couldn't let himself wonder about these people who surrounded him night and day. Because if he did.well, people had gotten hurt in the past.  
  
Shu sent one more longing glance at the woman, who, in his slightly tipsy mind, embodied the fact that he would probably be alone for the rest of his life.  
  
He felt himself sink deeper into depression.  
  
She deserved someone better than himself though, Shu could tell just by the happy smile she was sending to the man she was talking to. Someone like that man would deserve her way more than he. Even if he did look like a playboy.  
  
Shu took another moment to examine the man sitting at the bar, laughing and talking to the woman. He was tall for a Japanese person, with dyed hair - or was it dyed? Shu realized that the man he was looking at had some European in him, explaining the strange coloration. He didn't know why that would change his perception of the man, but it did.  
  
Maybe he reminded Shu of his old lover. Jei.  
  
But those thoughts were not helping his already damaged psyche. He went back to drinking, occasionally casting glances at the man, who he had to admit intrigued him. He had good fashion sense, wearing a black sleeveless crop top and skin tight black jeans, a navy blue shirt sitting on the stool next to him, no doubt to keep him warm in the still cool spring air. The lean muscles were wonderfully set off by the golden tone of his skin, a tattoo Shuldich couldn't quite make out setting off the golden tint even more. His light hair was worn just past his jaw, but tied in the back with little chunks escaping to brush the man's fine regular features.  
  
As Shuldich watched, the man smiled broadly and said something to the woman which made her smile and laugh, slapping his arm playfully. Old acquaintances perhaps? Shu didn't think they acted like lovers.  
  
He felt a pang of jealousy when he thought of the two together. Jealous for their happiness. It wouldn't last, he thought to himself. It never did.  
  
The man abruptly looked in Shuldich's direction, causing him to jerk his head back to his drink. Before turning he had caught the small frown cross the blonde's face as the man looked at him.  
  
He had missed the predatory gleam in his eyes.  
  
+++++++  
  
Yohji was having a nice conversation with Miaka, the girl he had finally managed to set up with Rui, a man Yohji thought genuinely deserved her, when he noticed the lonely looking man sitting at the bar. He was a good -looking man, with long silky-looking red hair. He was wearing white slacks and a white tank top. Yohji almost winced at the yellow bandana, but was quickly distracted by the mournful aura that positively consumed the other man.  
  
This rankled on Yohji's nerves. As the sole operator of Yotan's Dating Service, it was literally his job to set people up with others, making all parties involved happy in the end. Yohji was frighteningly good at his job - it usually only took two dates for him to set people up who would be genuinely happy together. So far, he had never failed to find someone for everyone.  
  
This man sitting by himself though - he looked lonely. He looked like he needed someone. He looked like he needed Yohji.  
  
Yohji grinned. Ah. He thought. New blood.  
  
He had noticed the man looking at Miaka before retreating back into his own world. It might give Yohji an opening to talk to the man.  
  
With grace bought by long nights spent in clubs, picking his way through crowds with sometimes multiple drinks in his hands while inebriated himself, Yohji slid off his stool, and looked at Miaka with a gleam in his eyes.  
  
"Business," he explained shortly, nodding to the other end of the bar.  
  
She laughed. "Always on the job, huh 'Yotan'?" she joked.  
  
Yohji merely grinned in response, and headed over to the redhead, idly wondering what he was going to say this time. It always depended on the person. That was one of Yohji's strengths - he could adapt to the personalities of those around them. "Good with people" was what Yohji described himself as. "Manipulative bastard" was what his best friend Botan called him.  
  
All other thoughts aside, Yohji was now standing almost beside the redhead. He felt the familiar tingle of anticipation for the conversation he was about to begin. He always felt this way before speaking to a stranger. It was one of the only reasons he left his house and it's soft, warm bed at all - meeting people was like a drug for him.  
  
He noticed the man glance covertly over to where he and Miaka had been standing a few moments before, noticed him sigh and slump a bit more.  
  
"She's taken you know." Yohji said, slipping onto the barstool next to the man, who looked at him in shock.  
  
It was quickly replaced by a smug smirk and a lifted eyebrow. This was obviously the man's mask, but only someone who had a similar mask would be able to detect it. Yohji smirked back.  
  
"Oh? She's yours then?" the redhead asked, his smirk going condescending on the assumption that Yohji would consider the woman as a possession.  
  
Yohji grit his teeth, but didn't let his annoyance at this assumption show. He didn't like anyone thinking he would do any woman wrong. He knew what it was like to lose someone precious, like Asuka had been. He wouldn't let anyone think he didn't appreciate any lover he took. And he wouldn't let this man think that someone like Miaka was a possession.  
  
"No, actually," Yohji said, keeping his tone mild, "She has someone else in her life. And I'm not the sort to let anyone come between two people's happiness."  
  
++++++++  
  
Shuldich again had to revise his opinion of this man. He looked like a playboy, but his words said otherwise. Of course, he could be lying, but Shu had the feeling that he was being truthful. And Shu's 'feelings' were almost always correct. Almost always.  
  
"Ah, the sappy type," Shu sneered, deliberately trying to provoke the man. "It'll never last you know."  
  
There, He thought, Now leave me alone to my depression.  
  
He did not expect the other man to laugh. It was a rich sound that Shu immediately loved and hated at the same time. It reminded him of a time when he could laugh like that, so open and sure. Confident. It annoyed him that the man was shaking off his attempts to be an ass so easily. Couldn't the guy take a hint and leave him alone?  
  
"I suppose some would think that," The blonde said, his eyes still twinkling in mirth, "But you don't know my reputation for setting people up. I've never failed in my matchmaking. The people I get together always turn out happy"  
  
Shuldich snorted. "It'll just take some time is all," he said. "Just wait for a few years and see. Then maybe you won't be so pompous about your little 'reputation'."  
  
"Well, now I understand why you're sitting alone in a bar," the man said, his eyebrow lifted and smile still in place. "With that type of attitude, you'll never get yourself a date."  
  
Shuldich sneered at the concept of dating. "Well, not everyone wants a date. Some people like to be alone in a bar, with their drinks." Shu shot a meaningful look at the man next to him. "Alone." He stressed again.  
  
The bastard just smiled sunnily at him. What was he, deficient?  
  
"You just say that because you don't want to admit you're lonely."  
  
Yet again, this man had managed to shock Shuldich. How dare he presume to say such a thing! It didn't matter that he may be right - he had no idea what had led Shuldich to be alone, what he had gone through because of forming ties with people. His life was a constant reminder of that fact - from the time his parents had died through what was deemed as 'unexplainable circumstances', to the most recent episode. All his fault. There was too much going against relations with people, too much going for a solitary nature. And without even mentioning his own name, this man had the gall to saunter up and calmly tell him that he was lonely?  
  
"You have no idea what you're talking about" Shuldich snarled, just trying to get the other to * leave him alone. *  
  
"About you in particular, no, I suppose not," The man said, mollifying Shu somewhat, but not enough to make him stop wishing for the man to go away. "But I'm familiar enough with loneliness to see it in someone else." He said, losing the smirk and irritating the German all over again.  
  
Shuldich decided to ignore him. Maybe he would go away on his own.  
  
"The name is Kudoh Yohji," the man said, not waiting for a response. "And I'm in the business of setting people up. Yotan's Dating Service at your disposal," he said with a little ironic bow to Shuldich. The smirk was back.  
  
With that, the man started to Talk.  
  
"So, you like little Miaka there huh? Yeah, she's a cutie, but not your type I think. She's so innocent, you'd think that working around a bunch of drunks would break her of that, but no. It's sort of nice to know that people can be uncorrupt, you know?"  
  
And so on. The blonde did no shut up at all. Just when Shuldich thought that the man would run out of things to say, he wold go off on another subject - music, popular stars at the moment, popular stars ten years ago, his favorite food, the whole concept of food itself, how the bar should really sell more food, even the weather was touched upon.  
  
Wondering how the blonde was still talking after an hour of being all but ignored by Shuldich kept Shu from falling into depression again. It was also slowly driving him completely * insane. *  
  
"Enough!" he finally moaned at the blonde, putting his head down on his arms. "What will it take for me to get you to leave me * alone*?"  
  
The smile on the blonde's face seemed to get bigger, if such a thing was possible. Why, oh why, did Shuldich suddenly feel like he was walking into a trap?  
  
"Let me set you up with someone," Yohji said.  
  
"No." Shuldich replied, not missing a beat.  
  
Yohji just shrugged. "So, you hear about the recent scandal in the Royalty? It was quite something-" he started.  
  
"ARG!" Shuldich said.  
  
Beside him, Yohji sighed. "You know you want this."  
  
"What, to be pestered by an incessant overbearing blonde ass for my Friday night? I think not."  
  
"Not that," Yohji said with a hint of humor in his voice again. "You don't want to be alone."  
  
"And you came to that conclusion because of my breathtaking conversational skills, right?" Shuldich replied sarcastically.  
  
Yohji looked at him seriously for a moment, his emerald eyes growing intense. "You haven't left yet." the blonde pointed out. Shuldich sat in shock for a moment, for the third - or was it fourth? - time that night. The thought had never even crossed his mind; why not? It would have been the smart thing to do when the blonde started really pissing him off. Just get up and leave. He almost missed the next thing Yohji said.  
  
"Look, why don't you just give it a chance? I'll tell you what. I'll make you a bet on it - if I can't set you up in three weeks time, I'll, I don't know," He said, his hand waving as he tried to think up a suitable 'prize'. "Get you the penthouse suite of the Rozenkruz Hotel."  
  
Shuldich nearly choked. It was the most expensive hotel in the city, perhaps in the world. There had to be a catch. "And I have to pay for what exactly?" He asked suspiciously.  
  
"Nothing. All expenses paid" Yohji said, with a small smile. He looked like a cat who had just caught a particularly difficult mouse.  
  
"There has to be a catch. You don't even know my name for God's sake," Shuldich tried to argue. But in his minds eye, he could already see himself lounging on the more-than-king size bed, with a chocolate hot fudge sundae and steak and all sorts of good food being delivered directly to his room. Being above all the city, not having the feeling of pressure on his mind every time he was in a crowd. He quickly became fond of the idea.  
  
Shu realized that Yohji was looking at his expectantly. "Well?" he asked.  
  
"Well what?" Shuldich replied, his mind still on the hot fudge sundae.  
  
"What's your name?" Yohji asked, rolling his eyes.  
  
Shuldich looked at him for a moment, considering the man sitting in front of him.  
  
"Shuldich." He finally said.  
  
Yohji beamed. "A pleasure to meet you Shuldich." He said, not even stumbling over the unfamiliar language. He took out his wallet, and handing Shu a card said, "I'll expect a call from you tomorrow afternoon. The bet is for three nights in the Rozencruz Hotel's penthouse, if I don't find someone you fall for in the next three weeks. I'll tell you more about my procedures when you come in." His tone was all business when talking about his work.  
  
He was sliding off his barstool when something occurred to Shuldich. It was unlikely, but. "What if I lose? What do you get?" He asked the man who was already starting to walk away.  
  
He looked over his shoulder as he said, "The usual expenses, which are I assure you, minimal. Which is a good thing," he added with a wink, "Because I don't lose."  
  
With that, he sauntered out of the bar, leaving Shuldich to his alcohol. He quickly finished it off, no longer being in the mood to get drunk or even mildly tipsy. He was too busy wondering over what had just happened.  
  
What * have* I gotten myself into now? He wondered before leaving the bar.  
  
{"I don't lose."} He had said. Well fine, Shuldich thought.  
  
Neither do I. 


	2. Date One: It Begins

Disclaimer: Me? Own Weis Kruz? I only wish.  
  
Authors Note: Okay, I'd first like to thank everyone for their reviews, :) and for their constructive criticism. Thank you! Someone recently told me that 'Shuldich' is actually spelled 'Shuldig', but since I already have so much of this written out I'm going to keep it as is for now. Second, I have used one word of Japanese in this fic, which I usually don't do because I get mixed reactions to it, but the situation called for it. I'll post again when I get five more reviews, even little "write more" messages, but don't be afraid to tell me (nicely would be good for my sensibilities) I'm screwing up. But you don't need to say anything constructive. Just let me know you're out there!  
I think that's all for now, so enjoy!  
Yotan's Dating Service  
Chapter 2  
Shuldich did end up calling the next day, despite his better judgement telling him it was a Bad Idea. He couldn't help it though, the idea of room service goaded him on. Not to mention a certain blonde's words.  
  
{"I don't lose"}  
  
Shuldich snorted. 'Didn't lose' indeed. The man needed a lesson in humility, and Shuldich thought himself to be the perfect person to give it to him. But first he had to wake up.  
  
It was a nice day outside, and for once Shu didn't mind the sun shining into his flat, which was just a block away from the club he managed, the Starlit Epiphany. Usually, the mornings after his nights off were living hell for him. This was partially because of the hangover he couldn't admit to, because he had to keep up his image with the employees. He always had to seem like he was taking life lightly, so as not to raise suspicions, always look like he didn't need them to look in on him. It wouldn't do for his employees to think he needed help. That would lead to attachments. And attachments were underscored on his list of things to avoid.  
  
Shu just lay in bed, enjoying the sunshine as it streamed through the curtains he hadn't closed the previous night. He really was lucky to have gotten such a nice place, he knew. His flat was fairly large, and on the corner of the building, giving him a lot of light in the day, and making the rooms seem even larger. It wasn't that big - the living room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom, but he enjoyed the location. Nearly everything in his apartment was Spartan, yet comfortable. But then again, he also had a fascination, bordering on obsession really, with gadgets.  
  
The gadgets were one of the reasons Shuldich had stayed in Japan. Here, he had the best entertainment system he could ever dream of. His kitchen had more of what he could only describe as 'toys' than he knew what to do with. Really, he only used the microwave and the coffee maker, sometimes even the stovetop, yet he owned a combination apple peeler/blender/French fry maker.  
The only thing Shu had actually taken advantage of was the timer on the coffee machine. He loved his coffee machine with a passion. It made coffee as fast as he could wish for, and it was always ready for him in the morning.  
  
That morning Shu climbed out of bed feeling better than he had in a long time, stretching in the light. It was nice to be on the fourth floor sometimes. It meat that he would get most of the morning light the saps lower down were missing out on.  
  
He got his coffee, murmuring a quick thanks for the coffee machine. The first cup of the day, black to wake him up. He would add sugar and maybe even a little cream later, when he wasn't in such need of his morning caffeine.  
  
As he was sipping his coffee and looking out one of the large windows in his living room, Shuldich contemplated the bet he'd made with the blonde - Yohji, he remembered - the previous night.  
  
It seemed simple enough. He just had to not like any of the people Yohji paraded in front of him, right? Simple.  
  
He got the card out of his wallet, which was sitting on the coffee table with his keys. He picked up his phone and got ready to dial the number, and felt a tremor go down his back.  
  
He saw his old lover, Jei, happy again, laughing with him in the orphanage where they had both grown up. He saw them making plans for the future together. Saw his parents, hugging him. Saw his first friend, Sano, in the orphanage.  
  
He saw again his friend Sano laying broken from his fall off the roof of the orphanage. He saw his parent's bodies, foam dripping from their slack mouths, already dead from brain damage. He saw again Jei laying in the arms of another. He saw Farfarello.  
  
And he knew if he called this number, he'd be caught up in it again, in life and people.  
  
{"You know you want this."}  
  
No he didn't. Didn't want to be close to anyone ever again.  
  
{"You don't want to be alone"}  
  
Because. because.  
  
{"Why don't you give it a chance?"}  
  
.  
  
{"I don't lose."}  
  
The last thought convinced him. He dialed the number.  
+++++++  
  
Yohji was jolted out of his precious sleep by the harsh ringing of the phone. He wanted to kill it, honestly wanted the noise to die a horrible death and rot in the pits of hell. He hadn't gotten home until very late that night, morning really, since he still had to go to other places, check up on his contacts into the world, meet new people and get them to come to his business. He was his own walking poster.  
  
That damn phone was still ringing. The noise was grating against his nerves, which is why he had gotten it in the first place. He knew that he'd never answer the phone if nothing was forcing him to. So he'd gotten the most annoying, loud and generally crappy phone he could.  
  
Sometimes he really hated foresight.  
  
He picked up the phone.  
  
"Smudd yu wan" He mumbled into the receiver while glancing at the clock. Nine o'clock.  
  
There was a pause on the other end while Yohji woke up more. He'd thought what he'd said was something along the lines of "what do you want", but he could have been wrong. Maybe he'd told the person to fuck off or something. He'd always been half afraid he'd do that in the mornings, because he so often wanted to swear at people who woke him up. Maybe he'd finally done it.  
  
"Kudoh?" Asked the voice on the other line. Yohji knew that slightly nasal voice. Knew it from where though? Last night. A club? No, no, it was a bar. Yeah! Shuldich, that was it!  
  
"Shuldich." He said into the receiver, smug that he could remember anything at all this early in the morning.  
  
"What's up?" he asked the red head on the other line.  
  
Another pause, in which Yohji woke up fully. The man couldn't be regretting their bet, could he? He'd damn well better not, because he needed the companionship more than even he knew. Yohji could see it in his eyes. Too much time cut off from society did things to a person.  
  
"I was. Wondering. when should I come in?" He grit out. Yohji got the impression that he was having an internal struggle of some sort. Yeah, definitely regretting it. Well, he'd just have to get the red head in as soon as possible then.  
  
"How are you for this afternoon? Around three?"  
  
"So eager to be in my presence again, hmm?" Shuldich asked in a mocking voice. Yohji rolled his eyes.  
  
"Of coarse. That must be it," He replied sarcastically, a smile on his voice nevertheless. "The address is on the card I gave you. See you then." Yohji hung up the phone and lay back in his sweet, soft bed, never wanting to get up. A little more sleep couldn't hurt.  
  
But he found himself sleepless, laying on his bed with his eyes closed or partially open, looking at nothing in particular. The truth was that he was eager to see the red headed German again. Too eager. I wouldn't do to get too emotionally involved with one of his cases.  
  
Time to get himself up and face the new day. He grunted when he pulled back the curtains, the bright sunlight streaming in the window. It was too early to put up with this so-called 'sunlight'. The world obviously hated him, to send so much light this early in the morning. He closed the curtains again.  
He actually preferred the sunlight to rain, or worse yet, clouds, but would rather he was graced with the furnace-in-the-sky at a later time in the day. Around one-ish was optimal, but he'd settle for noon.  
  
He stumbled out of his bedroom, going down the hall to the bathroom, not caring if the floorboards creaked with his every move. He only made an effort to be silent when it was late at night out of respect for Momo-san who lived on the third floor, right below him. But it was daytime, and Momo would be down in the flower shop on the first floor. No one would hear his staggering footsteps, or the sound of the hot water pipes bringing up the nearly scalding water he needed to wake up. He threw a towel over his hips and headed to the kitchen to start the coffee machine. Unlike Shuldich, he had no gadgets in his kitchen. He spent all his money on things of physical comfort and luxury, such as silk sheets, his car, clothes, his bed and clothes. Also unlike Shuldich, Yohji liked to cook. It wasn't something he let get around, because then he'd have people expecting him to cook for them on dates.  
  
He'd cooked for Asuka. But he wouldn't cook for any other woman or man he dated, if he wasn't serious about them. He liked to think that he put something of himself into the meals he prepared, making them special, and that wasn't something he was prepared to just give away to anyone.  
  
As he cracked the eggs for a breakfast omelet, Yohji had the brief fleeting thought that he might be slightly insane, to have these notions about food. He rethought though - he wasn't insane, he was just weird. Very weird.  
  
When he was done cooking the omelet and grabbing his coffee, Yohji went back to his room to eat in bed. Aah, laziness. A benefit of being self- employed. Then again, he had his own sense of duty to his clients to deal with too, he thought as he took a few files off his nightstand to consider as he sipped his coffee.  
  
He then got dressed and headed down to the second floor, to his two-room office. Once there, he went on the computer, setting up the dates he'd just arranged in his mind. He didn't always get involved with the people he was setting up - just in special cases. Botan, his best friend since grade school, had been one such. His two friends when he was in the hotel business, Manx and Birman had been others. There had been a few more - Omi and Nagi, Ken and Aya-chan. More recently, it was a small group of women he just couldn't seem to get a match for. He was hoping that Shuldich would be good for one of them - he seemed like a fairly unique person. He wouldn't be content with a 'normal' girl.  
  
It was two thirty when the phone rang, and Yohji decided it was time for a break. He picked up the receiver to find Botan on the other line. He sounded upset, which meant that his lover Ran had probably done something bone-headed again. Not that Botan was too good with the whole relationship thing either - they both had problems. But that was one of the many things keeping them together.  
  
It appeared that Ran had said something about Botan's ex-wife and their daughter. Yohji winced. That was a difficult subject, and one he'd thought Ran would know enough to skirt around. This had led, however, to Botan saying something about Aya-chan, which was never a good idea around the Ice Prince.  
  
"And now he's barricaded himself in the kitchen, and I think he's planning on using some of those knives on * me* and Jesus, why did he have to bring them up-"  
  
Yohji rested his forehead in his palm, closing his eyes. He knew the two loved each other more than anyone else in their lives, he knew they wouldn't leave each other for the people around themselves, who had once been their worlds. But sometimes, Yohji thought that they could both use some serious psychotherapy.  
  
"Have you tried * apologizing* yet?" He asked Botan.  
  
"Apologize?! To him? Me? He's the one who said that he was glad Sylvia went back to America with our daughter!" Yohji winced. All right, he could admit that that was pretty bad, even for Ran.  
  
"Nonetheless, you're sorry for saying whatever it is you said about Aya- chan, right?"  
  
There was a considering silence on the other end for a moment. It was one of the things he liked about Botan's friendship, they both listened to each other, considering the words before replying. Botan sighed. "I suppose I am. But Yotan."  
  
"I know buddy. I'm sure he's sorry too. Just go patch things up, and call me later. I have an appointment in fifteen."  
  
Yohji shook his head as he hung up the phone. With friends like those, it was no wonder he turned out so strange. He wandered over to the other room, one filled with comfortable couches and an oversized armchair - his preferred spot - and a coffee maker. He made a bee line to the last piece of equipment.  
  
He was just waiting for the coffee to brew and looking through the file of the woman he was setting up with Shuldich when there was a knock on the office door.  
  
++++++++  
  
Shuldich considered the building in front of him for a moment. Somehow, he thought it was fitting for someone like Yohji to work upstairs from a flower shop. He just stood there looking at the flowers for a few minutes, pretending to be interested in them. He was early, he told himself. The man might not want him there until three. Maybe he was in the middle of an appointment. Maybe it would be better to just turn around and go back to the club right now, before he got himself tangled up in this mess.  
  
But no. Shuldich does not run from a bet. He would prove this man wrong, and get his penthouse suite for three nights as well. He steeled himself, and walked to the stairs leading to the second floor.  
  
When he got there, he was surprised to find two doors in front of him. One looked quite like a house door, with a little "welcome" mat that had a kitty drawing on it. It didn't look like something Yohji would own. The woman in the store downstairs then? It seemed likely.  
  
The second door looked for all the world like something you would find in a bad sixties movie about detectives. There were venetian blinds on the large window, and the words "Yotan's Dating Service: Kudoh Yohji" in bold white writing on the glass. He knocked on the door.  
  
He only had to wait a few moments before it was pulled open, the man Shu had come to see standing there, silhouetted against the light reflected off the windows of the building across the street. He looked. good. Like sunlight and honey.  
  
No! He had to stop thinking these flattering thoughts about the man. He was Shuldich's opponent. He was the enemy. He was. smiling quite warmly at Shuldich. Dammit. Time to take out the cynicism, his best defense against those who thought to get close.  
  
He rolled his eyes as he looked at the man, and said, "I hope you're not planning on going out dressed like that Kudoh, or you'll be arrested for indecent exposure."  
  
It was almost true too; he was wearing the red crop top with the zipper halfway down, showing off vast expanses of his chest as well as his bare abdomen. His leather pants had to be painted on, there was no way any human could squirm into them without breaking a leg.  
  
The man just smiled wider and motioned for him to come in. "Coffee?" He asked.  
  
Shuldich shook his head and sat on one of the two armchairs in front of the desk. Yohji went to the chair behind the desk, and Shuldich experienced the switch from normal-social Yohji to Business Yohji.  
  
He picked up a folder that was sitting on the desk, apparently just put down. "Alright, here's the deal. I need to know how often you will be available in a week for dates, how much money you're willing to spend - it needn't be a lot, the girls usually pay for half, and I'll give you a card that will get you discounts. I'll need you to fill out this form, saying that you won't sue me for anything your date does, because I'm not responsible for that. Then I'll go through this file here, about the woman you're going to be dating, and we'll set up a good time for both of you. I won't let you look at the file, because that's a violation of her privacy, so don't even ask. I will however give you her picture so you will know who you are meeting. All clear so far?"  
  
Shu nodded, and smirked, knowing that he wouldn't let this man get his way, no matter what. He took the forms and read them over while Yohji waited patiently for him to sign. He let out a little smile when Shuldich gave him back the forms, and put them in a file Shu assumed was his own.  
  
"Great," said the blonde, taking a picture out of the woman's file, "Now for your date. This is Hell, a nice girl who wants someone strong and supportive. Personally, I think she wants to support someone else though, which is admirable. She's a scientist, genetic engineer I believe, and is very devoted to her work. I found it took a while to win her respect, but once you do, she softens right up."  
  
Shuldich looked at the picture of the woman Yohji had handed him. She was pretty, with blue-black hair and glasses that covered the colour of her eyes. In the picture, she was wearing a lab coat, but not smiling. Shu thought she would look better if she smiled.  
  
"If ever you don't want to go out with someone I set you up with, just tell me and I'll arrange for other accommodations. Are you interested?"  
  
Shuldich considered the question carefully before nodding yes. He was curious about the woman, and why she wouldn't smile for the camera. He wasn't planning on getting attached, so what could be the harm?  
  
"Good," Yohji said, picking up a pen and paper. "Now onto the details."  
  
Which took a good half an hour to complete. The questions ranged from how much Shuldich was willing to pay for a date - quite a reasonable amount, as he spent his money on absolutely nothing except booze and gadgets, to which days Shu could take off - anytime really, as it was during the day that he was needed, to make preparations for the night. And the questioning continued with his likes and dislikes. He liked comfort, good food being cooked for him, quiet. He disliked people in general.  
  
Yohji gave him a strange look at that. "Why do you manage a club if you don't like people?" He asked.  
  
Shuldich just smirked. There was no way he was going to let this man under his skin, and letting him know that he liked the club for the fact that there were people who just didn't care to get close would do just that. He could be surrounded by people in the club, and still be completely alone.  
  
Yohji just shrugged after studying him for a while. He went back to his notes.  
  
"Okay," he said after a while. "Your date is for Tuesday night, which means it should start a bit early. Hell doesn't strike me as the type to stay up on a school night if you know what I mean. You're going to a restaurant called 'The Bombay Katzchen.' This," and he gave Shuldich a card with his signature on the back, "Is so you'll get a discount at the place."  
  
"What did you do, sleep with the owner?" Shu asked.  
  
"I get discounts there for two reasons. First, I send them fully one quarter of their business. Second, I set up the chef with his boyfriend." Yohji replied with a smug smile.  
  
Shuldich rolled his eyes as he got up and prepared to leave. He stopped as Yohji called him back.  
  
"Just a second Shushu," he said, fiddling with something under the desk. Shuldich turned around and looked back at Yohji, about to tear into the man for the little nickname. There was a flash before he could get out a word, and a Polaroid came rolling out of the camera in the blonde's hands. "Alright, I think we're done here for today," he said, ushering Shuldich to the door, not letting him get a single word in. "Remember to give me a call Tuesday night, after the date, and tell me how things went. Oh, and if you want to buy flowers, Momo-san downstairs will give you a discount. Thank you for coming!"  
  
And with that, Shuldich found himself standing outside the closed door, wondering what to hate the blonde for more; the nickname or the photo?  
  
"This man," Shuldich growled under his breath, "Is going Down."  
  
+++++++  
  
The days between the meeting and the date passed much too quickly for Shuldich's liking. Every minute that passed, he could feel his dread growing. He did * not* want to do this anymore. Damn that man for talking him into this. The penthouse wasn't worth this kind of effort.  
  
{"I don't lose"}  
  
Shuldich felt his animosity grow as much as his dread when he thought of those words. Oh he would lose all right. And Shuldich was not planning on making the loss easy on his checkbook.  
  
Tuesday night found Shuldich standing outside The Bombay Katzchen, looking for this Hell woman he was supposed to meet. He was nervous, but no one could tell by looking at him. He looked smug. He looked like he was confident. He looked like an ass.  
  
Or that's what Hell seemed to think when she came up to him. The woman was a step beyond aloof, she was frigid. He now knew why she wasn't smiling in the picture Yohji had shown him. The woman seemed to dislike people smiling at all. She even glared at the nice waiter who came to serve them, setting the man's hand trembling as he poured their water. Shuldich took pity on the man by smirking lazily at him, an act Hell didn't seem to approve of at all. The waiter's nervousness just made Shu smirk all the more though. Other than frigid ice bitch sitting across from him, he was enjoying himself.  
  
The appetizer was great; warm whole wheat bread with little dishes of balsamic vinegar and vegetable oil to dip it in. They were waiting for their dinner to arrive when the frigid ice bitch started to grill Shuldich. She asked such questions as "What are your prospects," and "how much have you invested in bio-engineering stocks."  
  
By the time the entrées arrived, Shuldich knew that this wasn't a date. It was a business meeting. The woman wanted him to sell himself to her like he was some sort of investment. Shu was glad of the main course not only because it was delicious - penne with a light garlic and vegetable oil sauce and sautéed jumbo prawns - but also because it shut the woman up, at least for a little while.  
  
He could feel her cold eyes on him the entire dinner though. It rankled. It made him fume. It was exactly what he needed to win against that blonde bastard.  
  
But oh, was the food good. He was looking forward to his favorite part of the meal - dessert. The waiter came over to see what they would like for said course, when that woman, that frigid ice bitch, took out her wallet and asked for the check.  
  
Alright, so usually, he was not that bad of a guy. Sometimes, but not usually. But no ice bitch was going to come between Shuldich and his dessert.  
  
"Ignore that. I would like a hot fudge sundae." He said to the poor, hapless waiter, glaring all the while at the woman sitting across from him. Originally, he was only going to get a little piece of apple pie, with a bit of ice cream. But he'd been craving a hot fudge sundae for days now, and he figured he deserved it after dealing with the woman all evening long.  
  
"I refuse to help pay for such extravagant excess." She said, glaring at Shuldich.  
  
"Listen Ice Queen," Shuldich said, still smirking dangerously, "I have had to put up with your interrogation all evening long. And now I'm having my dessert. If you want to join me, you are free to do so. If you're going to ask more intrusive questions, or are going to be a nasty bitch, then get out."  
  
The woman just stared at him for a few seconds, while the waiter got back to what he deemed to be a 'non-lethal' distance.  
  
"You." She started, the rage starting to build in her eyes. "You ASSHOLE!" she shrieked, slapping him across the cheek soundly before getting up. "You aren't worth the time it would take to berate you, you uncouth, dirty, son of a bitch!"  
  
With those parting words, the woman turned on her heel and stomped away, out of Shuldich's life forever. Oh boo fucking hoo, he thought to himself.  
  
The waiter came up to him with some trepidation. "Sir, " he said quietly, "Er, do you still want your hot fudge sundae?"  
  
Shuldich smirked at the boy. "Of coarse I do. Would I go through all the trouble of getting Ice Bitch away if I didn't want to enjoy my dessert?"  
  
The man quickly walked off to the door leading to the kitchen. There, there were two boys standing and watching him. The blonde one was obviously a chef for the restaurant, the other looked like a patron. The chef gave him an absolutely sunny smile and started over to his table.  
  
What is it with blondes and smiling? Shuldich thought to himself. The kid sat down across from Shu, taking off his little cliché chef's hat.  
  
"That," he said, "was brilliant. I haven't seen anyone get her so worked up yet, and she's been through three dates which ended, well, badly."  
  
"So it's not just me, huh?" Shuldich said, smiling at the boy. It was, for once, a real smile. Not a smirk or grimace, but a smile. He couldn't help it, the kid was just so. genki.  
  
The kid laughed. He was cute, Shuldich had to admit that, but if he didn't stop acting so inhumanly * cheerful, * Shuldich was going to develop a nervous twitch in record time. "No, it wasn't just you. I take it you're one of Yotan-kun's datees?" At Shuldich's nod the kid continued. "Well, don't worry about this, the first date sometimes doesn't work out. But Yotan-kun is really good at what he does. Nagi-kun," This with a glance to the dark haired boy who'd just pulled up a chair, "Was the first person Yotan-kun set me up with, and we've been happy for a year and a half now."  
  
"Omi!" a shout came from the kitchen.  
  
"Oops!" the genki kid said, hurriedly getting up and putting his little chef hat back on. "Gotta get back to work." He leaned down to the dark haired boy to give him a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you in half an hour." He said softly. There was a moment when their eyes locked, and love poured between the two. Shuldich could have barfed.  
  
On the way back to the kitchen, Omi passed the waiter holding Shuldich's hot fudge sundae. Nagi's eyes didn't leave Omi until the door was well and firmly closed. Shuldich poked at the sundae, wondering if it had been ruined for him by the sweetness that he'd just witnessed.  
  
"He's right you know," Nagi said. Shuldich looked up to find the kid's intense blue eyes boring into him. Shuldich raised an eyebrow. "About Yotan." Nagi elaborated. "He really won't rest until he's found everyone a match. And it usually doesn't take too long either."  
  
"He introduced you to small and genki over there?" Shuldich asked, gesturing to the back room and almost wishing 'Yotan' had stayed out of their business if that was the sort of sap which usually resulted from his pairings.  
  
"Yes, but it was so much more than that." The boy said with a frown. Shuldich raised an eyebrow. It seemed he was doing this a lot lately. "I came to Yotan not knowing I was. not interested in the opposite sex," the boy started, a faint blush starting on his cheeks. "He set me up with another one of his 'problem people'- people who he doesn't know what to do with. Hell is one of those, and so was Tot. She wasn't actually that bad, just a little crazy. She had this thing with her stuffed rabbit." Nagi took a moment to shudder. "Well, at least she was intriguing. But the thing was that Yotan knew exactly what type of person to set me up with. It's uncanny, but he can usually tell with people.  
  
"As soon as he figured out that I wasn't going to do well with Tot, he took me back to his office. That was the first time I saw Omi," The love shining out of his eyes on the thought again had Shuldich almost gagging. He swallowed a spoonful of ice cream and took a break from sweets until the boy resumed talking in his soft, low voice.  
  
"I guess Yotan saw me looking at him at the flower shop, because two weeks later he called me and said he had a date for me. It was Omi. The thing is, that he had to hunt him down, interview him, convince him to go on a blind date, and I'm sure he did more that I'm not even aware of. All to get me together with someone I could be happy with, and so Omi could be happy with me. He really will stop at nothing to get what he wants."  
  
Shuldich spent the rest of the hot fudge sundae talking to Nagi about life in general. Neither of them touched on their pasts, or anything personal, but both felt they could grow to be close friends. Nagi worked in a library, something Shuldich thought fit perfectly with the soft-spoken, seemingly fragile kid.  
  
By the time Omi came back, they were, if not close, than at the very least friends.  
+++++++  
  
Yohji was getting ready to go out clubbing when he got the phone call. He sighed, looking at the phone - he didn't want to answer it for several reasons. First off, he had to go out and meet people, so he could lure them into his business. Second, he wasn't in that talkative of a mood right now, especially if it was who he thought it would be, which ties in with reason number three: it might be Hell. Literally.  
  
Yohji hadn't really thought that Shuldich would get along at all well with the woman, but the benefits outweighed the risks. He might have been able to get rid of the woman at last, he tried to justify to himself. But really, he had one driving reason for setting Hell up with Shuldich. Revenge for how much effort the man had been to ensnare on their first meeting. And for ignoring him. Yohji hated to be ignored.  
  
He picked up the phone, and immediately wished he hadn't at the loud obnoxious voice coming at him. Yep. He was catching hell from. Hell. He almost chuckled at the horrible pun, but that would be a very bad idea. Asuka would have laughed and whacked him on the arm. Asuka.  
  
Yohji immediately sobered up. "Are you even * listening * to me!?!?" came out of his phone.  
  
"Of coarse I am Hell-sama. I'm very sorry I haven't found a man suitable for you yet. I am still looking, but it is difficult. All of the best men are taken or gay you know, " He said, trying to lighten the woman up. "I just need to look harder. I will keep trying. I think I may have met someone today who meets your specifications though," He was seriously not in the mood for pacifying the woman, but she was influential enough that she could destroy his reputation. "His name is Masafumi, a genetic scientist with large dreams. I believe he invests large quantities of money regularly. Really Hell-sama, you should meet the man." He knew she would meet him. He knew how to make her do exactly what he wanted, "people person" as he was. "Manipulative bastard" whispered his subconscious, as it always did. Sometimes, he really wished Botan wasn't such a good friend, so he could kick him for saying things that would haunt him.  
  
There was a pause on the other line. "All right," came finally. "But really Kudoh-san, what were you thinking?"  
  
Really? Yohji thought, I wanted to punish the man for ignoring me for a whole hour. "He needs a woman with backbone to help him," Yohji lied to the woman. "You saw him tonight. The man needs to be set straight, and I immediately thought of you Hell-sama. Ah well, I'll get the right woman for him yet." There, Yohji thought. That should mollify her enough. And now for the finishing touches. "I'll have the next date time and place, as well as some information about Masafumi, posted on my site for you. You remember your password? Yes? Good. I hope you have a good date then, and tell me the results later."  
  
The other line started to beep just as he was hanging up. Yohji nearly growled. If this was Botan again about Ran, heads would fly.  
  
"Hello," He said harsher than he really intended.  
  
"Well, it's a pleasure to hear from you too baby," a slightly nasal voice said sardonically.  
  
"Shuldich. What the hell did you do to her?"  
  
"Oh, she didn't give you the full play by play rundown? Not surprising, as miss frigid ice bitch wasn't what I'd call a considerate date. Did you really think we'd hit it off, 'Yotan'?"  
  
Oh, how he didn't want to deal with this right now. But still, he had to smile. He'd gotten under the man's skin. Served him right. "It was worth a try," he replied. "Oh well. I think I have a better match now though. Just come in whenever you feel like it." He paused for a moment before specifying, "In the afternoon. Whenever you feel like it, in the afternoon."  
  
"Aw, poor little Yotan isn't a morning person. Alright, but if I come by and you're not up yet, where should I call?"  
  
"Just knock on the fourth story door. It's my apartment." Yohji said without thinking. He winced. Damn, he'd let someone know that little piece of information. Usually, Yohji didn't like people to know where he lived. He'd been through a few stalkers in the past few years, and didn't like to let information like that slip. "Just don't tell anyone where I live, ok?" he said, trying to cover for the mistake.  
  
He got a snort as a reply. "Whatever you say, Yotan." Then he was gone.  
  
Yohji left the house kicking himself for letting someone get past his careful shields. He had very few rules when it came to himself, and most of them made a lot of sense.  
  
He didn't let himself get too drunk, because he had a tendency to make stupid mistakes when he was.  
  
He didn't let anyone get close enough to be considered a lover, because he needed those people to be his customers, among other, deeper reasons. Not the least of which stemmed from Asuka.  
  
He didn't let anyone know where he lived, because stalkers were just plain scary. Any of his one-night stands were taken either to a nice hotel, or to their house. But somehow, he didn't feel uncomfortable with Shuldich knowing where he lived. Which made him feel uncomfortable in itself. Which made him confused.  
  
That was the reason the red head wouldn't get out of his mind when he went out clubbing that night. That was the only reason, Yohji told himself as he shot back another glass of tequila.  
  
Shit, that was what, this fourth? In half an hour? Not too bad for him but still. he was getting no work done here. He decided to head home after getting only seven numbers. Scarce pickings, but it was after all a Tuesday night.  
  
Once home, Yohji went up to his apartment and put on a pair of not-totally- skin-tight jeans and a long red knit sweater. Then he headed down to Momo- san's cool room in the back of the flower shop, where she kept all of the flowers over night. She was there, just as Yohji expected, working on her arrangements for the next day.  
  
He wordlessly took up an order and the required flowers, sat beside her and started arranging.  
  
This was what he needed this night, he realized. Momo-san was the perfect anchor, always quiet when you needed someone to just be there, always ready to give words of advice if you needed them. The old woman was really incredible. She seemed too small to order people about, but somehow, she always got her way, even with the stony Ran.  
  
Tonight, they just worked in silence on the arrangements until the last one was done. It was quite late when they finished, and Yohji was happy he'd come to help or the woman would probably have gotten an astonishingly small amount of sleep. But she would never complain.  
  
Now she looked over at Yohji with a knowledgeable gleam in her eyes. "What's bothering you tonight Yotan?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing I suppose," Yohji said with a slight frown. He realized that that was wrong, something was bothering him. But he didn't know what.  
  
She nodded at him as if she knew what he meant. "Come up for a cup of tea then." She said, heading up the stairs. Her two cats followed, the calico and the Balinese, to her apartment. They went through the second floor to get to the third - unlike Yohji, Momo had two stories to her floor. She had donated the two rooms Yohji used for his office, saying that she wouldn't need them. They sat at the kitchen table, sipping tea as Yohji told the woman about all the cases he was dealing with in his work.  
  
Yohji didn't notice when he started dwelling on Shuldich, but Momo did, and she smiled as she realized what Yohji did not. But she knew Yohji, he was like a grandson to her, and knew that he wouldn't just accept the feelings he was developing.  
  
She sometimes found Yohji's lack of willingness to take a lover, of either sex, infuriating. But she understood. With Asuka's death, something was left raw and open in Yohji. Taking a serious lover would just irritate the wound, until it closed and healed on it's own. But that didn't mean that Yohji could just sit back and let the world pass him by.  
  
The problem was, that Yohji didn't *want * to heal. But now, maybe he had found someone he'd be prepared to heal for. if only Momo could open the way a little.  
  
"And after I just sat there, talking for an hour, a whole *hour *, the guy has the nerve to call me up and berate me for my judgement-"  
  
"Oh Yotan," She sighed, interrupting him, "When will you take a lover for yourself?"  
  
Yohji looked sad for a moment. Momo knew he was thinking of Asuka. "Never Momo-san. I don't deserve-"  
  
"Nonsense. It isn't up to you what you deserve. Your lover will give what they feel you deserve, and if you love them back, you will trust their judgement." Momo sighed again. "You can't keep yourself in a cocoon from the rest of the world forever Yotan. Someday, you'll have to come out. And when you spread your wings, you'll know it was for the best. Right now though, you're still afraid of the change, between your nice little known world of depression, and the world you could fly freely in. So stop being an ass."  
  
Yohji's mouth fell open at the last comment. "Momo-san." he said weakly.  
  
Momo got up and patted Yohji on the cheek. "You think too much Yotan. Now go to bed, and keep this in mind. You don't have to go out and look for someone to fill your beloved's place. But when someone comes along who makes you happy, who makes your blood soar, don't let it pass you by because of a ghost."  
  
With that last bit of wisdom, Momo shooed Yohji out of her apartment and up to his own, to get some much-needed sleep. 


	3. Date Two: New Feelings Awaken

Disclaimer: I don't own, Please don't sue.  
  
Authors Note: Hehe, another chapter up. I'm trying to do this every Monday, but it's getting hard to finish on time with school *shakes fist in general direction of school*. Um, I feel I should warn people that this does take a turn for the bizarre in later chapters, so watch out for it. And always, please review. : )  
Yotan's Dating Service  
Chapter 3  
+++++++ Wednesday, 16 days left.  
  
Shuldich woke up Wednesday morning with a warm, fuzzy feeling in his chest. He was going to win this bet. If last night's date was anything to go by, there was no way he could lose.  
  
With those happy thoughts to goad him on, Shuldich threw off his covers and started planning out his day.  
  
Firs, he thought, I'll get some work done. There was a big live band coming to the club in a few days, and he had to get everything set up for them. After that was done, he had to get cover bands to start up the show. Someone local would be a good touch. The main attraction would want to be there too, to help interview the bands starting for them, which was always a pain in the ass - Shuldich hated to be set back because some musicians had scheduling problems.  
  
But once that was done, he would go over to Kudoh's office, and make his life a living hell. Ah, sarcasm and cynicism. His two very best friends.  
  
It was nice to look forward to the day, and nicer to look forward to meeting someone. Shuldich usually didn't like having to see people during the day. Or during the night for that matter. But this was okay, it was safe to look forward to seeing Yohji, because it wasn't a 'good' seeing someone. As long as his motivation for going over there were for reasons that would cause a distinct lack of closeness, he was all right.  
  
And this is the line of thought that took him to Yohji's office at six that evening, and had him rapping on the door. He would have liked to have just walked in unannounced, but the door was locked. Ah well, he'd just have to settle for pushing past the blonde and making himself comfortable as soon as the door was open.  
  
The door did not open. Shuldich's left eyebrow twitched. Did the man have to thwart his every plan?  
  
Alright, so that was a bit of an overstatement, but Shuldich hated to have nicely drawn out plans go up in flames.  
  
The other door, the one with the welcome mat in front of it, opened then. An old woman peered out at him with a slight smile on her face. When she saw who it was, the smile got broader, and more mischievous.  
  
"Here for Yotan, are you boy?" she said.  
  
Normally, Shuldich would tell the old bat off for even thinking of him as a 'boy'. But the woman looked so unassuming that he couldn't even summon up a condescending look. He tried for a smirk, but got the distinct impression that it came out as more of a meek smile.  
  
This was, of coarse, all Yohji's fault.  
  
"Yotan is upstairs, probably napping again. If he doesn't answer the door, come right back down and I'll give you the spare key - he needs to get up soon anyway."  
  
And then the woman stood there and smiled until she saw Shuldich heading up the stairs. He was too afraid to leave, call the visit a waste, because he wouldn't want the woman to think badly of him. He sighed. This is why he hated people. Why couldn't he just be one of the bad guys, who were expected to be assholes? It was so much easier to be an ass when people were expecting it, and so much harder when they expected the best.  
  
As he trudged up the two stories leading to Yohji's door, Shuldich decided that there were way too many people expecting him to be nice, who were associated with Kudoh.  
  
Well, at least there was a way to keep his plan intact to some degree. While he couldn't imagine lying to the old woman downstairs, saying that Yohji hadn't opened the door, he could knock so softly that the man wouldn't hear it. Then, he'd get the spare key and make himself at home. When Yohji woke up, he'd find the red head sitting in his house. The smirk grew back across his face.  
  
This was not destined to be however. The door was flung open the moment Shuldich tapped, ever so lightly. The man standing there looked like he was dressed to kill - obviously just about to go out. Damn.  
  
"Shuldich?" the blonde said with some surprise. "I wasn't expecting to hear from you for a day or so."  
  
"Yeah, well, I got bored." Shuldich snarled. God damn him! It was like he had some sort of anti-scheme force field surrounding him. Shuldich almost shook his head at his train of thoughts. Too little sleep combined with early morning cartoons - something he indulged in no matter how childish it seemed - were making him fanciful.  
  
The man blinked at his forceful reply. "Ok, well, I was just on my way out anyway. Do you want to come out for a coffee or something? The clubs won't get going for another few hours."  
  
Shuldich sighed and agreed. Might as well - he could needle the man about his job, his fashion, his placement of office building and anything else he could come up with as easily in a café as in a house or office.  
  
Yohji led them to a little coffee shop down the street from the flower shop. It was nice, dimly lit but with large candles on each table, providing small islands of illumination. It had lounge furniture instead of conventional chairs. The whole room smelled like freshly ground coffee beans. Yohji and he settled on a couple of armchairs near a window.  
  
"So," Yohji started, "What brought you to my humble abode?"  
  
From what Shuldich had glimpsed outside of Yohji's apartment, it was hardly humble. But that wasn't what Shuldich was really worried about now. Why did he show up at Yohji's place?  
  
Oh yeah, to make his life a living hell. Well, he could hardly tell that to the man. So, what to say that wouldn't sound suspicious, but would still get the man pissed off?  
  
"I had to make sure you know what kind of girl to set me up with. I don't want to go out with some sort of Holier-than-thou ice cube again."  
  
An irritated frown flickered across Yohji's face and then was gone, dissolving into another of the man's open smiles. "Let me guess. You want someone more forthright. Someone who's more open about her, shall we say, sensuality. Am I right?"  
  
There had to be a catch. Shuldich nodded, the suspicion written across his face. He tried to find flaws with what the man was saying, but really, the hypothetical woman he was talking about sounded about right. Of coarse, Shuldich wouldn't like to actually stay with a woman like that, but it would make for a much more interesting date than with the ice bitch.  
  
Yohji's grin got wider. A gleam appeared in his eyes. Shuldich was starting to regret agreeing to this. "I have the perfect person then. Her name is Shern; she's a beautiful model who wants to be appreciated and valued. She's not at all like Hell, she has a much more outgoing personality. I have a picture or two back in the office, I'll show them to you before you go out with her. She's hard to get a hold of though, so it may be a few days in the making."  
  
As he was talking, the woman from the counter came over with their drinks. Shuldich got an espresso, Yohji got some sort of latte. Plus a little surprise, at least for Shuldich, as there was a slip of white paper on the saucer along with the mug. The girls cheeks coloured pink as she walked away. Yohji glanced at it, folded it up and put it in a pocket, shooting the girl a warm smile.  
  
The man was a flirt. That was the only conclusion Shuldich could come up with. And, considering his clothing for the day. Everything he wore was absolutely plastered to his body.  
  
Shuldich himself was wearing dark blue jeans and a long-sleeved white shirt. It was normal clothes, like those you'd see on anyone. Why couldn't the man just be normal?  
  
"Do you own any tops that are not cropped?" he asked the blonde suddenly.  
  
"Of coarse. It gets cold in winter you know." Yohji said, looking slightly baffled at the topic change. "But they're all either skintight or transparent." He added with a grin.  
  
Shuldich rolled his eyes. "Why don't you wear normal clothing, like a normal person?" he asked sarcastically.  
  
"Hey, if you've got it, flaunt it." Yohji hadn't shown the slightest bit of discomfort at the criticism. Bastard. "Truthfully, it's because my work takes place in so many clubs. I have an image to maintain, and that's important when you're meeting as many people as I do everyday. I need to stand out in their minds as the type of person who everyone else is attracted to, because that will bring me more customers."  
  
Shuldich considered this for a moment. "So. You're basically just a walking ad for your own company."  
  
Yohji shrugged. "I suppose. It also really depends on the types of places I go to - they need to be places where people can meet and talk, not where they can't listen to their own thoughts. That means people will dress, overall, more conservatively - not boring mind you, just not as outrageous as myself. Brings more attention to yours truly."  
  
"Ah. A walking ad * and* an attention hog. You're just racking up the brownie points here."  
  
Yohji grinned. "Hey, I can't help it if I'm beautiful. Honestly though, I do enjoy setting people up for their own happiness. That should be brownie points enough."  
  
"Hah. I'll bet you're just in it for the money. How much do you charge anyway?" this was a topic that Shuldich had stayed away from, as it would lead him to thoughts of defeat, which was unacceptable.  
  
"Not a lot actually. The price decreases with each date that doesn't work out, but I do have a minimum price. It really depends on the people's financial situation. Also, I can't go too low, because it costs a lot to go out clubbing nearly every night."  
  
"Not if you know where to go. Some clubs around here are pretty cheap."  
  
"Yeah, but most of those don't have the right atmosphere. I really need to watch where I go; it can't be too radical - at least, not if I'm working. When it's just for me, all bets are off."  
  
"Oh?" Shuldich's interest was piqued now. "Where do you usually like to go for yourself?"  
  
"Well," he replied with a frown, "I usually like rock music with a strong beat, or jazz. But I get jazz a lot on the job."  
  
"Hmm. You should try out something more like electronic rock. It can get tiring after a while, but most people find it good dancing music, as long as it isn't too repetitive. There's a band coming into the Starlit Epiphany in a while - they're a mix between softer rock and electronic. It's weird, but it works. Before that they have a rock band starting up, and after is the usual canned music."  
  
"Jesus." Yohji said, "And you think * I'm* a walking ad."  
  
Shuldich rolled his eyes. "Fine, don't come. Stick to your jazz and all canned music for all I care."  
  
"Aw, Shu, I didn't know you cared," came the humorous rejoinder. Then he looked more thoughtful. "Soft rock and electronic, huh? I might just check it out."  
  
"Either way," Shuldich said with a glance to his watch, "I need to get to work soon. We'll be opening doors in a few minutes, and I said I would be there to make sure everything goes smoothly."  
  
"Mm, I should to get to work too I suppose," Yohji said, the both of them getting up and heading to the door.  
  
"What you do Yotan, can not be considered 'work'" Shuldich informed him.  
  
"Oh no?" Yohji said with an amused look, "What is it then?"  
  
Shuldich grinned over his shoulder as he started walking down the street. "Play," he shot back.  
  
He could just hear Yohji's laughter before he turned a corner, and headed to work.  
  
The visit hadn't been a waste after all.  
  
++++++++++ Sunday, 12 days left.  
  
It was a nice day for Shuldich's date, Yohji thought as he looked out the window of his office.  
  
He felt somewhat bad about setting the man up with Shern in retrospect, but not bad enough to actually call it off. The man had been second-guessing him on his profession, which Yohji didn't take lightly. He deserved a bit of retribution. And besides, it was going to be one hell of a date, he thought with a grin.  
  
He was feeling strangely good about the way things were progressing with Shuldich, despite the fact that he had only been on one date, and Yohji hadn't found anyone really good for the red head. He was slightly bemused by his good mood, but wouldn't let his own doubts get in the way of a good night.  
  
He decided that it would be alright to take the night off, go out to some real clubs. Maybe he would check out Shuldich's club, see this band that was playing.  
  
He picked up the phone to call Botan, see if he and Ran wanted to go out with him. It had been too long since he had seen them, and they both needed to get out more. Plus, they could dance on his level, which was no small feat.  
  
The conversation with Botan was brief, Yohji had only to mention going out and the other man agreed. He was probably looking forward to a night of what could roughly be called dancing, and Yohji knew he liked to get Ran out of the house.  
  
He headed downstairs to see if Momo needed anything done before he went out as there was still plenty of time until evening, and found that she had more than enough helping hands at the moment.  
  
"Kenken!" Yohji exclaimed upon reaching the bottom floor. It had been a while since he had seen the brown haired man who had been one of Yohji's earliest clients.  
  
Ken looked up from the plant he was trying to prune, his face showing pleasure at his friend's arrival. "Yotan! Thank god you're here." He gave Yohji a small helpless look. "How the hell is this supposed to look?" he said, gesturing to the bonzai tree on the counter in front of him.  
  
Just then, another figure walked out of the back room. Yohji recognized Aya, Ran's sister and sometimes employee for Momo. She was also Ken's girlfriend, thanks to Yohji. She rolled her eyes at Ken's predicament.  
  
"I swear to God Kenken, I leave you alone for one moment." she said teasingly, taking the clippers out of Ken's hands and making quick work of the tree.  
  
Ken mock-growled and stuck out his tongue. Then he put his arm around his lover's waist, watching as she made precise cuts to the plant. Becoming oblivious to everything around him except for what Aya and what she was doing with the plant.  
  
Yohji felt happy just looking at the two standing there. But he decided enough was enough when Ken started nibbling on Aya's neck. "So, what's new with you Kenken?" he asked, making Ken start. Apparently, he had forgotten there was another person in the room.  
  
Ken blushed as he answered, "Nothing much Yohji. Just the usual, going to work, coming home. Slaving over an oven, cooking, cleaning," his voice took on a pitiful quality as he said this last.  
  
Aya poked him in the side, "You do not, you wretch. You're exaggerating again."  
  
"She's a slave driver Yohji, I swear," he started, smiling, his arm still about the girl.  
  
"I am not!" she exclaimed, grabbing a towel and slapping his arm with it.  
  
He put up his hands to defend himself, grinning. "Oh with the whips! You see?!" he laughed as he backed away from his lover, who advanced with a gleam in her eye.  
  
Yohji just leaned against the counter and chuckled at the two. It was nice to be around normal people, who didn't expect anything from him. This was one of the few instances when he didn't mind being ignored. It was how he had gotten through the past couple of years, living through the happiness of those around him.  
  
"Ah, at it again I see," came a voice by his side. Yohji almost jumped out of his skin, looking down to see Momo standing with a smile on her lips. "They've been arguing over household chores for the past hour," She informed him as he stood there clutching at his chest, his heart still beating quickly from the shock. Momo raised her eyebrows, looking up at Yohji.  
  
"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to sneak up on someone?" Yohji said plaintively. Momo just chucked and went to stop the two lovers before they ruined her store.  
  
As he looked at the two, Yohji started feeling a bit melancholy, remembering a time when he would be an active participant in such activities.  
  
Before he could think too much about it, Momo thrust an order in his hands. "If you're going to stay," she said, "you're going to work."  
  
Ken grinned at him, holding another order. "How do we get roped into these situations Yotan?" he asked.  
  
"Must be the company we keep Kenken," he said, looking over at Aya and Momo with a smile. Momo snorted. Aya stuck out her tongue.  
  
Yohji took up the required flowers and worked along with some of the nicest people he knew, and felt like he belonged. That's right, he thought, As long as I have these people around, I don't need someone special in my life. They're special enough.  
  
++++++++ Sunday night.  
  
Shuldich was pleasantly surprised by the time frame Yohji was setting for him. When he'd made the bet, he'd thought the man was going to attempt to set him up every night. But so far, there'd been only one date for the Tuesday after the bet was made which had been the Saturday before, and the date tonight. With this few dates, Yohji had to be pretty sure of his matchmaking capabilities.  
  
Shuldich was calmer this time around. Sure, the pictures that Yohji had left in his online account Yohji had set up had shown a beautiful woman, but he knew better now than to think that was all there was to her. He'd learned well from the ice bitch.  
  
They had agreed to meet at the same restaurant for two reasons on Shuldich's part, first of which was the good food. The second reason was the two young lovers there, Nagi and Omi. Last time he'd seen Nagi, he'd been led to believe that the boy came to pick his lover up nearly every day after work, and Shuldich had genuinely enjoyed the others presence. It was somewhat of a balm on Shuldich's mind, to have someone so calm in the world filled with hectic people.  
  
So, there he was once again, dressed up in black slacks and a white long- sleeved shirt, his hair driving him insane, falling into his eyes without the bandana to hold it back. He took his sunglasses out of his shirt pocket and perched them on his head as a stop gap measure. It wasn't the same though.  
  
While he was mourning the absence of his favorite garment, the blonde woman came up to him out of the crowd. Her hair was thick and shimmered in the light of the sunset, her features perfectly matched and beautiful. Her luscious body was covered with a tight red dress, showing off her breasts and butt.  
  
Shuldich was careful not to drool. The woman came up almost too close to him, her blue eyes partially lidded.  
  
"Hello," she said in the most successful come-hither voice that he could ever remember hearing.  
  
Now this was more like it. This woman was indeed the farthest thing from the ice bitch that he could possibly imagine.  
  
She allowed him to take her arm and lead her inside, giving her an appreciative smirk.  
  
Later, Shuldich would pin point the starting of the unpleasantness at the very beginning of the date, when she insisted they sit at a table that allowed them to be right beside each other, instead of the classic across from each other.  
  
This was a bad thing because the woman kept trying to pull her 'charms' on Shuldich. At first he didn't mind, but it was extremely difficult to concentrate on his fettuccini alfrado with the woman constantly pressing her breasts into his arm, and murmuring seductively into his ear.  
  
And the food, while excellent, was not his savior this time, as it had been with Hell. The damn woman just didn't eat at all!  
  
Shuldich decided to skip dessert for now, because he had to get out of there. The woman was starting to cause a scene.  
  
As they were leaving, Shuldich spotted Nagi Naoe coming in the door. He managed to pry the blonde off his arm for long enough to say hello while the check was being processed.  
  
Nagi looked confused. "What did you do to him?"  
  
Now Shuldich was confused. "Huh? Who?"  
  
"Yotan. What did you do to him to set you up with Mrs. Look-At-Me-I-Have- Boobs over there?"  
  
"Oh, she's not that bad," Shuldich said. But an uneasy feeling stirred at Nagi's words.  
  
Nagi was opening his mouth to say something when Mrs. Boobjob came over and latched herself back on Shuldich's side. He grit his teeth. Yes, the woman was beautiful, but the constant attempts at seduction were really starting to wear thin.  
  
Nagi looked at his expression and nodded slowly, managing to convey that he knew what Shuldich was thinking. And that it wouldn't get any better.  
  
Well, the date wasn't a complete loss. It wasn't half as bad as it had been with Hell.  
  
Or so he thought, until they decided to walk along the ocean-side. There were lots of people there - it had been a nice day, and was a warm evening. There were the first dessert stalls of the year out on the walks, causing Shuldich some relief. He wouldn't have to give up his dessert after all.  
  
He asked Shern if she wanted anything, to which he got an incredulous look. "Shu, sweetie, you wouldn't want me to get fat, would you?"  
  
'Shu sweetie' didn't really care if she was a blimp, if only she'd stop being so damn clingy.  
  
He got a crepe filled with chocolate from a stall selling French desserts, ignoring the pouting of his date.  
  
Shuldich was just starting to get into his dessert when Shern noticed a stall selling fancy jewelry.  
  
"OOOH!" she squealed, tightening her hold on Shuldich's arm. "Shushu, get me that necklace!"  
  
Shuldich looked down at the chocolate stain slowly seeping into his shirt where the blonde bimbo had squished his dessert.  
  
Apparently, his shock was lasting too long for her, because she started pouting and making whimpering noises. "Shuuuuuu!" she whined.  
  
His dessert was ruined. It was all over his nice white shirt.  
  
"Shu!" she snapped, stomping her foot, making her breasts jiggle.  
  
Idly, Shuldich wondered if he could just take the shirt off and lick the chocolate off of it right there on the walkway.  
  
Shern changed her approach. "Shu-baby," she said, switching back to her sexy voice. "Please buy me that necklace honey." she put her hand on his chest - above the chocolate - and made sure her boobs were right in his line of sight, "I'll make it worth your while."  
  
Now Shuldich looked up from his shirt. "You ruined my dessert." He said.  
  
He took in the flash of annoyance on her face. "You can just buy another one. After you buy me something nice."  
  
"You ruined my dessert, and my shirt. And you expect me to buy you anything?"  
  
Now she frowned again. "What are you saying Shushu?"  
  
"I'm saying," Shuldich grit out, "that I'm not buying you anything. Why the hell would I buy you a necklace? What good will it do me?"  
  
"This isn't about you sweetie," her voice had now gone cold. "It's about me. And about you giving me what I want. I want that necklace, and you're going to give it to me." This last was said with her eyes partially lidded, looking confident.  
  
Now Shuldich knew what Nagi was trying to tell him.  
  
He came in close to her face with his signature smirk and said firmly, "Get. Lost."  
  
The shock lasted just long enough for him to start walking away before she started screaming and crying. As if making a scene would make him come back, instead of driving him further away. The girl had serious mental problems.  
  
++++++++  
  
Shuldich was faced by a decision when he got home and parked his car. Go inside, or go to the club? On the one hand, he'd have peace and quiet in his apartment. But on the other, he'd have the solitude of the loud music throbbing through his office and people around him that looked at him in a completely business-like manner. This was better for him than the quiet because in the quiet, he could hear himself think. And when he heard that, he'd sometimes catch whispers in his mind, like a background drone of the billions of other people living in the city.  
  
He went to the club. All he could think about when he got through the front doors was how nice it would feel to collapse in his nice comfy chair and relax for a while. He fought his way through the masses to the back, where the open stairs led to his office. It was easier to get back there tonight - it seemed everyone's concentration was focused on the dance floor.  
  
He considered asking what it was that people were looking at, but that would require not only screaming loudly enough to be heard over the music, but also interacting with people. That was an activity he was inclined to avoid like the plague at the moment.  
  
Finally, Shuldich found himself in his chair. He leaned his head back and let the tension drain out of his body. He was just wondering which of the dates so far was worse, ice queen or blonde bimbo when he remembered what Nagi had said.  
  
{"What did you do to him?"}  
  
{"Huh? Who?"}  
  
{"Yotan. What did you do to him to set you up with Mrs. Look-At-Me-I-Have- Boobs over there?"}  
  
A slow rage started to form in Shuldich's stomach. That asshole. That complete and utter bastard. He'd set Shuldich up on bad dates on purpose. He would die a terrible and horrible death at Shuldich's hands. And then Shuldich would resurrect him and kill him again.  
  
Shuldich scanned the room, looking for an implement to kill the blonde with. The paperweight would be good, but not painful enough. He liked all the things in his office too much to ruin with the man's blood.  
  
His office was all done out in silvers and charcoal grays, seeming sterile with the black and white monitors covering one wall and a mini bar on another. The only source of colour came from the wall of one-way glass in front of him, letting the light flash from the club outside. Really, other than a few pens, there were no good murder weapons in the room.  
  
Now back in his apartment, Shu was sure he'd be more fruitful. His kitchen had to have something that could cause instant death, amongst the gadgets sitting ominously in his cupboards.  
  
And then again, he could just use his bare hands. It would be so nice to feel his hands strangling the life out of the blonde bit by bit.  
  
After about an hour of planning Yohji's imminent death, Shuldich's anger had faded into something manageable, and he felt calm enough to deal with the world. He looked up to the monitors on the wall and noticed that the crowds were still gathered around the dance floor, apparently cheering someone or several someone's on. He got a close up of them on the big screen TV. Shuldich's mouth dropped open.  
  
Yohji was dancing in the middle of his club. He had an open circle around him and two others to give them room, and onlookers pressing against one another to see better.  
  
Shuldich's first thought was kill.  
  
His second thought was woah, as he witnessed the blonde pull off a particularly difficult move. It was as if the man's bones were liquid, he moved with such grace. like a cat.  
  
The other two with Yohji were dancing a little further off from him, and were obviously a couple. They were doing a version of dirty dancing that Shuldich had never dreamed possible. Limbs were just not supposed to bend like that. A small part of his mind wondered if the one mans hair was dyed, because he doubted that that colour of blood red was natural.  
  
Shuldich wasn't sure how long it was before he snapped back into reality, but it had to have been a while, because the bouncers had changed shifts quite a while ago.  
  
He was just wondering if the three on the dance floor were getting tired when Yohji danced over to his companions and motioned to the exit, making the gesture part of the dance. They agreed in the same fashion, and headed out slowly, dancing all the while.  
  
Then they were gone, and Shuldich let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. He needed a drink, and he needed to be at home. And he really *really * needed a cold shower. 


	4. Date Three: Getting to Know You

Disclaimer: Haven't we gone through this already? To head off the tedium, I'm going to say that I do own it. Bwahahahahaha.. Oh, but I don't really. Sigh.  
  
Authors Note: this chapter was really fun to write, and I hope you like reading it as much as I liked writing it. And for those of you who want more about Yohji, well, there's some in here, and more to come next chapter. Hope you enjoy! Oh, and Yohji * does* have feelings, he just doesn't realize it yet. Yes, I'm keeping him clueless. Because I'm evil. Mwahahaha.  
  
WARNING: a bit of lime in this chapter - very little bit. But next chapter will be full out lemon.  
  
Yotan's Dating Service  
Chapter 4  
+++++++ Wednesday morning, 9days left.  
Yohji had been going over some new files when he saw her face again. There she was staring up at him from a picture, the same eyes, the same hair, the same small smile. The same Asuka.  
  
Yohji's hands shook as he picked up the file and read it over, trying to convince himself. Of what he wasn't sure yet - he wanted it to be his lover so much, but he knew it couldn't be. Not Asuka, but Neu. The name was appropriate, he thought. Like a New person. Because it wasn't Asuka, he knew that immediately from her files. She was too different from his lover.  
  
But she still looked the same.  
  
He was surprised at a polite knock at his office door, snapping him out of the circles his mind had been making. He made sure the folder was closed before answering.  
  
He found the brightest smile in the entire world staring back at him. The smile was attached to Omi, who was attached, as always, to Nagi. Nagi offered him a rare smile.  
  
"Omi, Nagi," Yohji said with a small smile for the younger men, "Come in, both of you. What's up?"  
  
"We were just in the area and decided to drop by Yotan," Omi said. "Unless we're bothering you..?" the young man looked uncertain. It wasn't often that Yohji was so conservative in his greetings. Omi was used to a bear hug and a huge grin whenever he saw the older blonde. He wondered what was wrong.  
  
"No, it's ok." Yohji said, a little too quickly. "Um, do you want anything to drink?" He asked, trying to relax and not think about the file on his desk. He tried not to even look in that direction.  
  
"No thanks Yotan, we only came by for a quick visit." Omi said, smiling over at his lover.  
  
The two lovers were escorted into the other room, where they chose a couch to sit on. Yohji went straight to the coffee maker, and started to take out a cigarette. Then he put it away, knowing that if he started, he wouldn't be able to stop. And chain smoking would be a sure sign to Omi and Nagi that something was wrong. He settled with the biggest cup of coffee he could find, and sat on his comfortable chair, looking at the two who were sitting together on the couch, practically glued together.  
  
"So what's going on Yotan?" Omi asked, looking interested.  
  
Well, Yohji thought, I just got a client who looks exactly like my dead lover, who I never have and never will get over. Other than that I'm peachy.  
  
Instead, he said, "Oh, you know. Going to clubs, getting pretty people's numbers, partying, setting people up and meddling. Working." Omi laughed, bringing out a somewhat bedraggled smile on Yohji's face. "What about you two?"  
  
Omi swiftly went into detail about the restaurant, and the happenings over the past few days. Nagi just sat there, studying Yohji, who seemed to be paying the barest amout of attention. "Really Yotan, setting that poor man up with Hell * and* Shern?" Omi concluded.  
  
Yohji blinked, just then remembering Shuldich. He smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I know. I had reasons though."  
  
Omi raised an eyebrow, inviting explanation. Yohji sighed and explained the whole situation. Omi gasped when he heard what was at stake for Yohji.  
  
"Yohji-kun! That could cost a fortune!" he exclaimed. "Unless." he said, his face turning calculating. His eyes narrowed. "Does Shuldich-san know that you would get the penthouse suite practically free, using your contacts in the hotel?" he asked.  
  
Yohji smiled. "Hey, I spent a good portion of my life working there, as one of their best employees. It's only fair they give me discounts."  
  
"And does your friend at the hotel know about this bet yet?" Omi asked.  
  
"Hm, good point," Yohji said, "I haven't talked to my old boss Brad in a while." A flash of pain was all the other two saw of Yohji's inner anguish as he thought about his past.  
  
Just then the phone started to ring in the other room. "Hold on," Yohji said, getting up to answer.  
  
This was a perfect chance for Nagi and Omi to turn to each other. They each understood what the other was thinking. "Something is wrong," Omi voiced.  
  
"What do you think it is?" Nagi asked, knowing that Omi was better at reading others than he was.  
  
"If I had to guess, I'd say Asuka again," he said. Nagi nodded, that was what he suspected as well.  
  
"What do you want to do about it?" he asked.  
  
"We'll have to leave him to deal with it on his own," Omi said, looking unhappy. "You know what he's like. He won't talk about it at all."  
  
Nagi's heart clenched at the sight of his lover down. He tightened his arms around Omi and nuzzled into his neck before reluctantly letting go and getting up. He held out a hand to help Omi up as well. "You go down and say hello to Momo-san, I'm going to talk to Yohji about Shuldich."  
  
"Alright. I'll meet you down in the shop." They went into the next room where Yohji was just getting off the phone. Omi waved and gave Yohji a large smile. "See you later Yotan!"  
  
Nagi went over to the desk and started asking more about Shuldich, but Yohji really didn't know much about the man other than what was work related.  
  
"Listen, I really don't know all that much," Yohji finally said, "and you seem to like the guy. How about I give you his address, and you can go over to talk to him yourself."  
  
Nagi knew the man was about ten seconds away from full out depression - he'd seen Yohji while down before - but this was a bit extreme. Yohji Never gave out people's addresses. He either really wanted Nagi to leave him alone, or had another reason.  
  
Yohji sighed at Nagi's look of shock. "I'm worried about the guy," Yohji finally said, "He hasn't called for awhile, and I want to know what's up." When Nagi still looked disbelieving, he added, "I have the feeling that he's, I don't know, avoiding me or something." He said, looking uncomfortable.  
  
"Yotan, I would avoid you too if you set me up with Hell and Shern." Nagi said. Yohji winced at the rebuke. "But yeah, I'll go over there and see how he's doing." Nagi conceded.  
  
"Thanks Nagikins." Yohji said. But his heart wasn't in it, he wasn't even looking at Nagi. All of his attention was on a folder sitting in the middle of the desk.  
++++++++ Wednesday  
Shuldich woke up that morning clutching his head in pain. This was the second morning he'd woken up like this in the past three days. This was because when he'd gotten back from the club on Sunday night, he'd convinced himself that taking two nights off would be a good idea. Then, he'd gotten rather spectacularly drunk.  
  
It hadn't really helped. He still wanted to both avoid Yohji like the plague, and go see him again. And the want, the need really, to see the man again was slowly winning out, which made Shuldich uneasy.  
  
He sat up in bed, groaning as he imagined the blonde dancing again. It wasn't just the image of the dance now though, it was the blonde himself. The very thought of the man was arousing.  
  
He went for what seemed like his fifteenth cold shower in the past twenty- four hours, but his little problem just wouldn't go away. He stood there stubbornly for a few minutes, making his skin pull tight and develop goose bumps, before sighing in defeat and turning the hot water back on. He grabbed his arousal almost savagely.  
  
He'd meant for quick relief, but the image of Yohji there with him made the savage pace impossible. Instead, he found himself going slowly, enjoying the feelings that were coursing through his body. He knew Yohji would touch him like this, watching his reactions to the sensuality, drinking in his responses. Shuldich came into his own hand with a strangled cry.  
  
He swore as he leaned against the cool tile. Now he really didn't want to face Kudoh. What would he do if he started envisioning the man in a sexual manner? What if he had the same reactions to these thoughts as he'd been having for the past few nights?  
  
No, best to avoid Yohji as long as possible. He would just bypass the whole sticky situation.  
  
Unfortunately for Shuldich, Yohji didn't let people avoid him.  
+++++++ Wednesday afternoon.  
Nagi walked up the stairs to his new friends home, wondering why Yohji was feeling so worried about the man. He guessed that it was because of the bet. But somehow, it seemed that the blonde was taking a particular interest in this man. He hoped the two of them would end up together. Maybe he could help things along a bit.  
  
He knocked softly on the door.  
  
"Fuck off," Came the response. Nagi rolled his eyes at the standoffish manner the man was taking.  
  
"Shuldich," He called, "It's Naoe Nagi."  
  
"Naoe?" Now the man seemed more receptive. Nagi could hear footsteps coming towards the door, then the sounds of several locks being slid open. Finally, the door opened to reveal the red head standing still dripping wet, wearing only a large towel.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Shuldich asked. "And how did you get my address?"  
  
"I got the address from Yohji-kun. I decided to come over and pay a visit. if you'll let me in that is,"  
  
Shuldich blinked, and realized that he'd been standing in the doorway gaping at the unexpected visitor. He hadn't had someone over to his house in years, and his hosting skills were a bit rusty.  
  
"Yeah, come in," He said, stepping aside and heading to his bedroom. "Make yourself at home, I'm just going to get changed."  
  
It was as he was pulling on a pair of jeans that he wondered at the young mans arrival. He knew Nagi was a nice guy, and that they'd enjoyed each other's presence, but he was doubtful that the other would just out and ask Yohji for his address. And hadn't Yohji said something about the privacy of his files? He determined to get a straight answer out of the boy.  
  
He strolled out of his room and looked around for Nagi, but could not immediately place the kid. Not, that is, until he heard a loud buzzing sound and a crash from his kitchen.  
  
Ah, he thought with a smirk, The boy's found the kitchen.  
  
Shuldich stopped in the doorway to take in the scene that greeted his eyes. There was Nagi, holding a contraption that looked vaguely like a can opener mixed with a cappuccino machine at arms length. His eyes were the size of saucers. Shuldich couldn't help but let out a chuckle at his face.  
  
Nagi turned towards him in confusion. "Shuldich, what *is * this?"  
  
Hm. There was an interesting question. His smirk slipped a little as Shuldich considered the thing in Nagi's hand. He honestly couldn't remember.  
  
"Well," he said, "It sorta looks like a can opener mixed with a cappuccino machine if you ask me."  
  
"You mean you don't know?"  
  
Shuldich nodded. "Hey, lemme know if you figure it out though. And if you figure that one out, there's a few more I could have you take a look at."  
  
"If you don't know what they do, why do you keep them around?" Nagi asked innocently.  
  
"Every once in a while, I get bored enough to try and figure one of them out. Take that one on the second shelf there," he said, gesturing to an electronic container of some sort. "It can boil water, and blend stuff. At the same time even."  
  
Nagi put down the Cappuccino maker/can opener to inspect this new toy. "Why would you ever need that?" he asked in a slightly awed voice.  
  
"Honestly?" Shuldich said, "I have no clue. I just couldn't resist buying it. It looked neat."  
  
"You have more kitchen stuff than Omi and Ran-san put together." he said, still poking at the thing in his hands.  
  
"Ran?" Shuldich asked.  
  
"Someone else Yohji-kun set up," Nagi said distractedly, inspecting the rest of the cupboards. "He's with Yohji-kun's best friend, Botan. What does this do?" he poked towards a small little box that retracted a series of knives from one end.  
  
Meanwhile, Shuldich was practically reeling in confusion. When Nagi had told him who Ran and Botan were, he'd gotten a clear image of the two he'd seen dancing with Yohji that night. Along with that, he'd seen an image of Ran cooking at a stove, glaring at anyone who came close to his food. This last was not one of Shuldich's memories. It was Nagi's.  
  
The boy looked over at Shuldich when he didn't respond, and saw the man leaning against the doorframe for support.  
  
"Shit," the younger man said, going to help Shuldich to a chair. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing," Shuldich lied. "It's nothing. Just a hangover" he couldn't let Nagi know what had happened. He'd told people before, when he'd been in the orphanage, and had been shunned, people believing that he was either lying or dangerous. He wasn't about to tell this kid he barely knew and who he honestly liked, something that could drive him away.  
  
"Must be one hell of a hangover," Nagi said, a small amount of worry showing through his eyes. "You looked like you were about to faint back there,"  
  
"Pfft," Shuldich said with a wave of the hand, "I don't do fainting kid."  
  
At this the boy smiled quietly, but then frowned. "Why do you have a hangover? You shouldn't drink that much."  
  
"Oh don't be such a Nag, Nagi." Shuldich joked.  
  
Nagi rolled his eyes. "Now you sound exactly like Yotan." Nagi looked thoughtful for a moment. "You two really are quite a lot alike you know."  
  
Now it was Shuldich's turn to roll his eyes. "Oh right," He said sarcastically, "I'm just like that vindictive bastard. Thanks."  
  
Nagi frowned again. "Yotan isn't - well, maybe a little. But only when he's really pissed off. Or trying to prove a point. Or both, as I suspect he was with you."  
  
Shuldich's eyes narrowed. "What did he tell you? Why did he set me up with those two? Well, the bimbo I can guess at, but the other." the red head asked. He knew Nagi knew more than he was letting on.  
  
"It's not any of my business." Nagi said with a closed expression. But his eyes seemed to be conveying the truth to Shuldich.  
  
"That bastard," He said in a low dangerous voice. "I'll kill him." Just because he'd been ignored for a few minutes - well, an hour, but it wasn't that long! Just because of that, the man had set Shuldich up on the worst set of dates of his entire life? Shuldich started to fume.  
  
For his part, Nagi was getting annoyed with skirting around the reason Yohji had sent him here, enough so that he didn't pay any mind to the fact that he hadn't actually told Shuldich Yohji's reasons. Besides, he was concerned for Yohji, and wasn't good at keeping secrets, especially not from the people he liked. "Well, as long as you go over there at some point, I suppose Yotan wouldn't mind if you did kill him."  
  
"Eh?" that seemed to break Shuldich out of his stewing.  
  
"He's worried you're avoiding him."  
  
"Oh ho. So that's why he sent you over here."  
  
"Well, partially. I also just wanted to say hi." Nagi said. He honestly had wanted to see the man he'd like to be friends with. He was still uncomfortable with being so forthright though - it was a measure of the influence Omi had over him that he had spoken as much as he had on this little outing.  
  
Shuldich smiled a little at the kid. He really was sweet. "Aw, thanks kiddo." He said, despite the fact that Nagi was only a few years younger than he was.  
  
But he couldn't let that distract him from his plotting Yohji's ultimate demise. Just because the man could dance - and could he ever dance - didn't mean he wasn't going to die a painful death.  
  
"Kudoh is still going to die though." He added.  
  
"Are you going over there?" Nagi asked.  
  
"You bet. The bastard won't live to see tomorrow."  
  
"Good," Nagi replied, "Well, not good that you're going to hurt Yotan, but good that you're going over there. When I left this morning it looked like he was about to go into full depression mode."  
  
"Depression mode huh? I can work with that."  
  
Nagi winced. "Just don't be too harsh. He's far from unbreakable."  
  
Shuldich looked at the kid incredulously. Did he not hear the death threats? The man was going to die, not get a good talking to.  
  
Nagi was still looking at him, expecting some sort of response. "Uh... huh..." Shuldich drawled.  
  
Nagi immediately brightened up. A small smile even appeared on his lips, as he relaxed. It was obvious he wasn't planning on leaving anytime soon. Well, that was fine with Shuldich. He could carry out his revenge after he and the boy had had a chance to sit down and have a cup of coffee.  
++++++++ Wednesday Afternoon.  
Shuldich was a bit calmer now, thinking through his plan completely. First, he would go in and get the key from the flower shop lady. Then, he would go up and start wreaking havoc on the man's house. He hoped Yohji wasn't there when he was doing this, or he'd have to tie the man down.  
  
The thought of tying the object of his recent desires was not a productive one. Shuldich had to stop for a moment to consider this image before shaking himself out of his reverie and entering the flower shop.  
  
There were a surprising number of people in the shop for this time of day. He had to fight his way to the counter, where the old woman was just finishing up with a customer. She only had one person in there to help her, a small girl with pigtails.  
  
When the old woman saw Shuldich, she called to the young lady, "Aya, can you handle everything for a moment?"  
  
"Yes Momo-san," the girl replied chipperly.  
  
Momo motioned Shuldich to follow her into the back room. She immediately started grabbing flowers out from their coolers and placing them on a worktable. "What can I do for you today, young man?" she asked.  
  
"I need the key to Yohji's apartment. You see, last time I was there, I for- "  
  
That was as far as he got before the woman handed him a key.  
  
"Good. Make sure he doesn't drink himself silly, will you?"  
  
And she walked back into the front with her flowers. Shuldich stood frowning at the key for a moment. It was disturbing to have someone so helpful. He hadn't even gotten to the actual excuse part of why he needed the key. And it was troubling how people were so worried about Yohji and his depression. Hell, weren't there drugs people could take for that?  
  
He slowly made his way upstairs, stopping at the office just to make sure no one was there. He hadn't really honestly considered what to do if Yohji was in the apartment. Originally, he'd wanted to pour out all his dish soap and toss the toilet paper, get rid of all his edible food excluding condiments, put a few cracks in his chair legs.. there was so much that could be done to piss someone off. And most of it wouldn't even be noticed for weeks. Shuldich snickered to himself.  
  
Now that he'd gotten his righteous indignation back, as well as a healthy portion of playful sprit, Shuldich felt up to opening the door.  
  
The moment Shuldich walked in, his mood took a blow. The whole apartment felt like it was bathed in sorrow and regret. Well, now he knew why everyone was so concerned.  
  
Shuldich wouldn't let this affect his mission. No siree, this was just a minor distraction. He would sneak right past the bedroom, head for the bathroom and kitchen. He doubted if Yohji would even notice him, what with being in his heartbreakingly melancholy mood.  
  
He tried to sneak past the bedroom. He tried to make it without looking in the bedroom, where he knew Yohji was. He knew that Yohji was looking away from the half-opened door, out the window.  
  
All it took was one glance.  
  
Yohji was sitting on the wide window ledge, bathed in light. It caressed his skin, making it glow like honey in the sunlight, brushing across his bare chest, glinting off his hair. Shuldich caught his breath at the sight, and took an involuntary step forward.  
+++++++ Yohji.  
It had been a few hours since Yohji had sent Nagi off to see Shuldich. He was happy that Nags was interested in befriending the man - in Yohji's opinion, Nagi had too few friends.  
  
With that taken care of, he felt free to slip into his depression. These bouts of melancholy weren't coming as often as they had before, right after the accident.  
  
Yohji sat at his window, looking out on the world that went on normally, oblivious to the fact that he had lost the light of his life. It was even sunny outside. That seemed wrong to him, for the heavens to be shining when they should be weeping for the loss of the only woman he had ever really loved. Asuka.  
  
He somehow knew the second Shuldich walked into the apartment. He couldn't really find it in himself to care though, being lost in his own world of unhappiness.  
  
But every step the man took towards him led him a little more into reality, until he was fully aware of the room around him, as he hadn't been since coming up here. He took another long drag of the cigarette in his hand before stubbing it out and getting a new one. There was a bottle of Jack Daniel's sitting on the window ledge beside him, staring at him. He hadn't opened it, knowing that if he did he wouldn't stop drinking. And he wanted to save it for when he was really down, later on in the night. He found the exact hour of her death to be the worst.  
  
He felt a hand softly touch his shoulder and slide away. Shuldich had come up while he was contemplating the bottle next to him. They stayed like that for quite a while, just staring out the window at the world beyond, neither thinking about anything in particular, just experiencing life moving around them. Then Yohji took a deep breath, and began to talk.  
  
"I had a lover once. Her name was." he looked away, not able to say it out loud yet. "We met in high school, way back in second year. At first we hated each other; she was bossy, all brass and strong. I was the playboy. We grew on each other though, to the point where, when high school ended we didn't want to go our separate ways. We got an apartment together. We were doing well - I was one of the best in my field, I worked for a hotel chain back then. Convincing other businesses to come stay with us doing deals. I was told I was good at it because I was a 'people person'. Botan said I was a manipulative bastard. Honestly, I think he had the right of it.  
  
"We were happy. Until one day, when I was supposed to meet her at a café, and got tied up at work. My boss had missed his flight you see, and I had to fill in for him. I couldn't get in touch with her to say that I'd be late. I knew that I'd have to do some serious making up later, but I thought it'd be okay. She'd just get pissed and leave."  
  
There was silence in the room for a moment while Yohji relived that day. Shuldich looked at him. "And?" he asked.  
  
"Oh she left," Yohji said with a sad smile, "She wasn't the type to wait for anyone. But there was an accident on the way home. She." Yohji choked up, his eyes filling with tears he refused to let fall. He'd done too much crying over the past three years, for someone who wasn't coming back.  
  
"What happened?" Shuldich asked softly, still looking out the window.  
  
"She fell." Yohji said. "Fell down an open sewer grate."  
  
And there he paused, waiting for the remarks that were sure to come. And would have come if Shuldich didn't know that the man was totally serious. He held his tongue on all the comments he could have made, and said instead, "What did you do?"  
  
Yohji let out a sardonic laugh. "The better question is what didn't I do. I didn't do hard drugs, but that's about it. I started going out and getting drunk every night, taking someone home at every possible turn. Then I disappeared after the seventh month. Botan thought I was dead, he was going insane with worry, but he was the only one. I'd cut all ties by then. I didn't want someone else to die on me after all.  
  
"All that time I was gone, I was wandering from bar to bar, going to other people's houses for the night, getting out and drinking some more. Its not like I didn't have the money for it - she'd left everything to me, and I had a lot saved up already."  
  
Yohji paused to get himself another cigarette.  
  
"What snapped you out of it?" Shuldich asked, accepting a cigarette proffered to him.  
  
"On the anniversary of her death, I got smashed beyond anything I can remember. I was passing out in the street, then getting to my feet and walking to no where in particular. That's when Momo-san found me. She took me up to her kitchen, got some tea into me and made me sleep it off. At that point, anyone could have picked me up and I wouldn't have cared. But it wasn't just anyone. After that, she put me to work in the flower shop, doing manual labor until she found out that I could do flower arrangements.  
  
"I lost a bet," he said in response to Shuldich's surprised look, "And had to take a class on it. It was more fun than I thought it would be, and it turns out that I have a talent with flowers.  
  
"Anyway, when I was finally straight, living up here and working for Momo- san, not drinking as much, I called Botan. He gave me the chewing out of my lifetime, I can tell you. Turns out he called the cops and filed a missing person report. He's the one who suggested I go see my old friends from the hotel, which I did. Just a couple of co-workers, and my old boss Crawford."  
  
Something about that name immediately got Shuldich's attention. He had heard it somewhere, but he couldn't place it. He got the impression it was from when he had been living in Germany. He carefully put it aside to be pondered over later.  
  
"How did you get into this business? Why a dating service?" Shuldich asked. It was something he had been curious about since the day he had come here.  
  
"My two co-workers," Yohji said with a tender smile, "They were obviously interested in one another, and were perfect for each other. So I decided to set them up. Manx and Birman. I haven't seen them in much too long.  
  
"Once I saw how much of a success that was, I decided to try and get other people together. Everyone around me fell victim to my service, which I hadn't really set up yet. After I got Botan together with Ran, he suggested I make it a career. And I did. No regrets on that one."  
  
They fell silent once more. Yohji sighed and leaned his head against the window frame. He closed his eyes and tried to keep his mind on business. He needed to set Shuldich up with someone, and he thought he knew who would be best for him. Yohji couldn't let himself be ruled by the past. He had to let her go.  
  
He almost started as he felt a warm hand touch him on the back, offering comfort and support. This was a side of the German he had never even dreamed possible, not with the other's cocky attitude. He let the warmth of the others' hand seep into himself, feeling the other's presence. He had never told the whole story outright before. It was strangely comforting, instead of painful as he had thought it would be.  
  
He opened his eyes and looked at the man standing next to him. Offered a smile of gratitude, not only for the comfort, but also for just being there.  
  
Then he took a breath, got up and started towards the door. "I think I know who to set you up with next," he said.  
  
"Yeah, about that." Shuldich began in a drawl. Yohji winced, turned and coughed to cover his embarrassment. Nothing could cover his blush though. Shuldich stood there and stared the man down.  
  
"Alright," Yohji finally conceded, "I'll set you up with a real date this time."  
  
Shuldich smirked and followed him down to the office, leaving the alcohol on the window ledge, still untouched.  
+++++++  
If Shuldich thought he had been surprised at Yohji's confession about his past, it was nothing to his shock upon getting into the office. The man seemed to change into a completely different person, turning single- mindedly to his work. There was no hint of the usual smile, no glimmer in his eyes, just a professional doing his job.  
  
He introduced the girl Shuldich would be dating as Neu. She was apparently a nice girl, strong and independent, without being overbearing. Shuldich found it odd that Yohji didn't even glance at the picture as he handed it to Shuldich. In fact, he avoided looking at the file at all if he possibly could. Shuldich got the feeling it had something to do with the story he had just been told, but assumed that the man didn't want to talk about it anymore. The retreat into work was proof enough of that. So he kept his mouth closed as Yohji told him about the girls interests, and what he could expect of her.  
  
"Do you want to go to the same place for dinner?" Yohji asked, looking up from the notes he was making.  
  
"Actually, I was wondering if I could set up a lunch date," Shuldich replied, "It's so much easier to get an afternoon off than an evening."  
  
Yohji nodded. "I'll see to it." He said, putting the notes into a file and closing it before looking up again. A small amount of humanity showed through his mask once more, revealing sadness but not the bone-wrenching despair that had been present before.  
  
Shuldich offered him a mischievous smirk in return, which seemed to lighten the mood enough for Yohji to chuckle.  
  
"What?" Shuldich asked, the smile not falling from his lips.  
  
"You look like the cat that caught the canary," Yohji said, now smiling at him. Shuldich was relieved to see the smile again. He realized he was staring at the man, who was waiting for a response.  
  
"That's because I know I'm going to win this bet, and you're going to end up paying for it." He replied.  
  
Yohji looked surprised for a moment. "You don't like her?" he asked.  
  
Shuldich was confused for a moment, not remembering what the blonde was referring to. Oh yeah, he remembered, The date. "She's fine," Shuldich said, "But probably not my soul-mate or any nonsense like that."  
  
Yohji smiled at his response and got up when Shuldich did. The red head looked at him in inquiry when the man followed him out the door, grabbing his keys and wallet on the way. "Don't really feel like sticking around right now," he said in response to the unspoken question.  
  
They parted ways in front of the flower shop, Yohji walking down the street with Shuldich standing there absorbing everything he'd been told.  
  
As he turned to leave, he caught sight of Momo in the shop. She gave him a warm smile full of gratitude. It gave him a happy feeling, to know he'd done something nice.  
  
Something nice for Yohji. Who he'd gone over there to torment. He practically staggered at the thought. Damn! He'd done the exact opposite of his goals! How did the man manage to divert his carefully laid out plans all the time?  
  
But maybe the problem wasn't with Yohji, Shuldich pondered, maybe it was himself. The thought was disturbing, but seemed to fit the situation. He contemplated this the whole walk back to his club, and thought of the blonde who he couldn't seem to get out of his head.  
  
"What the hell is wrong with me?" he asked once he got to the door, looking up at the sky for answers. He sighed at the lack of response and went inside.  
+++++++ Saturday, six days left.  
This time, Shuldich had decided against going to the Bombay Katzchen, as it was afternoon and he doubted he would get to see either Nagi or Omi anyway. So Neu and he would meet at a nice café for lunch, then maybe go for a walk, weather permitting.  
  
The café was not full, but in no way lacking in customers, which was perfect. Shuldich gazed in the window while waiting for his date, thinking about what he was going to do after this date. He didn't feel like heading home, but there were limited places for him to go. The thought briefly crossed his mind that he could go over to Yohji's office and visit, but he snuffed it out before he could really consider it. He didn't want to confuse himself more than what he was already feeling.  
  
"Shuldich-san?" came a soft voice from his right. He quickly looked over to see the woman, Neu, looking at him with some concern. "Are you alright?" she asked.  
  
Shuldich blinked and offered her a confused smile. "I'm fine - Neu, isn't it? Why do you ask?"  
  
"You were looking at the sidewalk like it had just killed your best friend," she said with a smile. Shuldich's own smile grew into a grin. He liked the girl already, if only for the fact that she had an unassuming smile. Unlike some other women, whose names he didn't even want to think, but started with Shern and Hell.  
  
"Shall we go in?" Neu suggested.  
  
Shuldich thought that was a great idea. He was hungry, and the food he had seen on other people's tables looked good. The place was fairly western, with club sandwiches and fries, but also had some traditional Japanese food. Shuldich was in the mood for a club sandwich, and Neu ordered a chicken caesar salad.  
  
As they were waiting for their food, they got into a discussion about the café's choice of foods.  
  
"True, it is strange to have maki or chips offered as a side dish, but it really works for the clientele," Neu said. "I mean, if you think about it, many restaurants limit themselves and their customers by sticking with only one style of food. This way, you can get a coffee and a biscuit, or a more Japanese meal, or a western meal."  
  
"Sure, I see where you're coming from," Shuldich replied, "But the places that specialize in one type of food are often the best for that type of food. By having this variety, you limit yourself not in selection, but in quality."  
  
And so the meal progressed, Shuldich and Neu arguing over different restaurants and the merits of food specialties, while sampling each other's lunches.  
  
"You see?" Neu said after tasting Shuldich's fries, "Those are the best fries I've had in a long time. There's nothing wrong with those, and still there is selection. Nothing is being sacrificed for the goodness of those fries."  
  
To Shuldich, that sounded like a challenge. So, he went about trying to prove her wrong, while she did the same. Ah, the fries were good, but the chicken was burnt in a few places. But charcoal adds to the flavor. But the dressing was too creamy, and had too much garlic. And so on.  
  
They finally had to laughingly agree to disagree, and pay the check. As they walked outside Shuldich smiled. It was overcast, but still nice enough to go for a walk, which he suggested they do. Neu agreed, gesturing to a park that overlooked the ocean a few blocks away.  
  
As they were strolling along in the park, Shuldich realized two things. He was having a really good time with this girl. And she was a lot like Yohji. Both disturbed him to no small degree - if he was liking the woman, how could he break to her that he couldn't see her anymore? Because he couldn't see her. It would mean the loss of the bet, and, more importantly, it would hurt Yohji. The last thought he wouldn't admit even to himself, but the feeling was still there, that this girl was part of the reason Yohji had been so depressed the other day. And some small part of Shuldich, a part that he didn't even let see the light of day, wanted to protect the man he was coming to think of - grudgingly - as a friend.  
  
"Neu," he began, leaning on a banister and looking out to sea. "I. I really like you-"  
  
"Shuldich, I'm sorry," she interrupted, looking down and away, "but I can't become romantically attached to you."  
  
Well. That was a surprise. "Eh?" Shuldich said, confused to find the words taken right out of his mouth.  
  
"I'm sorry. It's just that, well, Kudoh-san has already introduced me to the man I want to be with. It's a complicated situation."  
  
"Do tell," Shuldich said with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Well, you see, this man has also gone out with two other girls he likes, and who like him. I've met them recently, and we decided that we could share him, rather than tear him apart trying to choose one of us. But Kudoh- san had already scheduled this date for me, assuming I wouldn't want to get involved in such a sticky situation."  
  
Shuldich grinned at the way things had turned out. It was perfect.  
  
"You're not upset?" Neu asked, looking at his smile in shock.  
  
"Naw," he said, starting to laugh. "I was just about to explain to you why I couldn't see you either."  
  
Now Neu looked surprised. "But this has been a great date-" she started.  
  
"And I've enjoyed myself," Shuldich continued for her, "But it wouldn't work out between us. Our personalities wouldn't mesh right," he said, unconsciously using the intuition he had been gifted with from early childhood.  
  
Neu smiled at his answer. "You're right I think. But I still like you as a person,"  
  
"Great," Shuldich said, spying an ice cream vendor, "You can buy me an ice cream." He caught sight of her raised eyebrow. "To ease my broken heart you know."  
  
She chuckled and led him towards the stand.  
++++++++ Later.  
Yohji sat in his office, staring up at the ceiling. His computer was humming contentedly to itself in front of him, his work finished for the day. He was trying to decide what to do for his remaining free hours when the phone rang.  
  
"Hello, Yotan's Dating Service Kudoh Yohji speaking how may I help you?"  
  
"Kudoh-san, this is Neu," Said the voice on the other line.  
  
"Ah, Neu-chan," Yohji said, his voice not reflecting the dullness that entered his eyes. "How did the date go?"  
  
"Kudoh-san, I told you before what my decision is. I want to be with Masafumi-san." Yes, she had told that to Yohji. He still thought she was insane, which was why he'd tried to set her up with Shuldich. It was a shame it hadn't worked out, he thought. But inside, he felt a bit of relief, which confused him.  
  
"Oh well, it was worth a shot," He said. "I hope you two had a good time anyway?"  
  
"Yes," she said, he voice warming, "It was a wonderful date. We got along well, but decided that we couldn't see each other romantically."  
  
Yohji was only half listening, wondering at his strange feelings. Thinking back to just a few weeks ago, he knew that he would have done anything in his power to protect this woman who reminded him so much of Asuka. Now though, he was letting her go to one of his 'problem' cases, the mad scientist.  
  
"-So then we decided to remain friends, because we share so many interests," Neu was saying.  
  
This was something Yohji was curious about. The red head hadn't given him much in the way of interests, other than quiet and a lack of people. "Oh?" he asked, "What interests do you share Neu-chan?"  
  
"Well, food for one thing," Neu answered, "parks, banter. We got along well, as friends."  
  
Hm, so the red head liked food. That explained why he kept going back to the 'Bombay Katzchen'. The banter he had picked up on himself, but the parks. he hadn't pegged Shuldich as the type to like long walks in parks.  
  
"So, when and where will I be meeting with Masafumi?" Neu said, breaking into his musing.  
  
Yohji got back to work, setting up a place and time that all four people could get together - Neu, Hell, Shern and the person who bound them together, Masafumi. Yohji's nose scrunched in distaste, but the man was paying him one hell of alot of money.  
  
After dealing with Neu and getting in touch with the other three members of that little group, Yohji sat back and considered his situation. He only had six days left, but something told him it was enough time. He would solve the mystery that was Shuldich, and he would win this bet if it killed him.  
  
He decided he needed a new outlook on the situation. He picked up the phone and dialed Botan's number.  
++++++++  
They met at Botan and Ran's apartment a few hours later. Ran was out at work, which meant it was Botan's day to cook - something he didn't like to do much. Yohji leaned against the kitchen table, watching his friend try to chop a cucumber and explaining his current dilemma.  
  
"-So now I only have six days left to get him a date, but I haven't found anyone who really matches his personality other than that most recent date, and that didn't even work out," Yohji rambled, wincing at the uneven chunks of cucumber being produced. "God, stop that. Here," He took the knife and started slicing the vegetable.  
  
Botan grinned, having known that Yohji wouldn't be able to stand someone cooking improperly. It was a trick that worked on both his best friend and his lover - doing things badly enough that they took over. "So what are you going to do about it?" He asked, turning his attention to the problem Yohji had taken to him.  
  
"I'm not sure. I brought his file over, take a look at it would you?" he said, gesturing at the table with the knife.  
  
Botan wandered over and took a look. It was generally against Yohji's policy to let other people look at files, but he made exceptions for Botan, who had helped him on other difficult cases.  
  
Yohji started mixing the salad dressing as Botan silently read over Shuldich's file, going over the information on the man as well as the dating history. Yohji gave a last stir to the pasta boiling on the stove before turning around and sitting, looking at his friend expectantly.  
  
"Yotan. .." Botan said with a slight frown, "Why have you only been setting him up with girls?"  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"Well, all the people you've set him up with have been girls, as well as all the prospective datees you have listed here."  
  
"And. ..?"  
  
"And, it says right here that the man's bi."  
  
"Whaaaaat?!" Yohji said, getting up and pulling the file towards himself. 'Sexual preferences:' it said, 'Bi.' "No way. No fucking way." He leaned over and hit his head on the table. "I can't believe I overlooked that. Oh man. That's. ..shit. .." he started banging his head softly on the table.  
  
"Botan," said a calm voice from the kitchen door, "Your friend is going to put a dent in our table. Make him stop."  
  
Botan looked up from his friend to his lover, his eyes lighting up. Ran walked past him to the stove, his hand briefly resting on the others shoulder and caressing the neck as he passed.  
  
"How could I have been so stupid," Yohji was muttering to himself. Botan leveled a measuring stare at his friend. He was surprised at this slip - it was unlike Yohji to make a mistake of this caliber, and even more uncharacteristic when the stakes were so high. Speaking of which.  
  
"Hey Yotan, have you even spoken to Crawford about this?"  
  
Yohji snorted. "Not yet. I didn't think I would lose the bet. But after this, I'm not so sure. .."  
  
"Perhaps now would be a good time to give him a call," Botan said.  
  
"Yeah. .. That's a good idea," Yohji said, a calculating look coming into his eyes. "Hey Botan, you don't think Shuldich and Crawford would hit it off, do you?"  
  
Botan thought it over, looking over the file again before answering. "I don't know. I guess it could work out. They're so different, but someone like Shuldich may be just what Bradley needs. Give him a call and see." He got up to help Ran with dinner, stealing a piece of pasta in the process.  
  
Ran glared. "Don't touch my food," He said.  
  
"Hey, I made most of that!" Botan protested. Yohji coughed from the table, and was given a harsh look from his best friend.  
  
Ran just snorted and went back to mixing the pasta into the sauce, not commenting when Botan's hands sneaked around him, trying to help with the stirring process.  
  
They finally sat down to a quick dinner on Yohji's part, before he left to go to 'work'. He felt as if a weight had been taken off his shoulders - he had a plan of action now.  
  
But for some reason, he still felt uneasy about the situation with Shuldich. He tried not to pay it too much attention as he went about gaining more business for himself. It turned out to be a long night.  
+++++++ Later that night.  
Farfarello approached the exit of the plane, barely managing to keep the sneer off his face when he passed the smiling stewardess. He would have liked to kill the entire flight of people, but knew that was wrong. He had to get somewhere, not be caught and put back into his 'home' for the past few years.  
  
He left the airport, catching a cab downtown. He started up a conversation with the cab driver, idly telling him about how much blood a rat produced, how may rats it would take to make the same amount of human blood, what an eyeball looked like when it was torn out... It was the type of information he'd learned at the asylum in Germany. The cab made record time.  
  
Farfarello didn't know exactly where he was going, but knew that if he followed his instincts, he would get to where he needed to be.  
  
But first, he had to replenish his stock of knives. He'd had to sell all of his before getting on the plane, using the money he'd taken from his doctor in the mental ward. Really, they shouldn't have just left the syringe laying there, knowing his history. And it had been the pit of stupidity to keep his knives locked up with his other possessions from when he'd been caught.  
  
And now he was here, in Japan, having followed his instincts, to find the person he needed. He didn't know why he needed this person, just that he was driven to find him.  
  
He looked up to the sky, where that cursed bastard God was looking down, and murmured 'his' name.  
  
"Shuldich. .."  
++++++++++++++++  
  
Bwahahahaha, enter Farfarello. Tune in next week to find out what happens! 


	5. Interlude, AKA Chapter 5a

WARNING: LLLLEEEEEEEMMMMMMOOOOOONNNNNN!!!!!! For those of you who don't know what that is, it's EXTREME SEXUAL CONTENT! If you don't like it in FF.net, I'll take it out. For those of you reading this through MM.org, deal with it :P  
  
Authors Note: Alright, I know that this is a disturbingly short chapter, which is why I'm saying that it's 5a. I have a lot more for this chapter, which I'll hopefully get up sometime this week, but I've suddenly remembered that I do, infect, go to school. And that while I ma there, I do get assigned work to do. So, I'M SORRY for not getting this completely done. I will work very hard on it tonight and tomorrow, I promise.  
  
Disclaimer. Hmm, Déjà vu. . . no, I don't own. If I did, I would get paid for doing this. Which I am not in any case. (pooh.)  
Yotan's Dating Service  
Chapter 5  
  
++++++++ Monday night, four days left.  
  
Yohji sat in the window looking out into the dark night. The streetlight was throwing it's slightly blurry light into his room, lighting on his face and bare chest, glancing off the cigarette he held in his hand.  
  
The floor let off a creak behind him, but he did not turn. He knew whoever was there wouldn't hurt him. He vaguely wondered who it was. Momo-san? She was the only one who had a spare key.  
  
Strong arms wound their way around his waist, trapping his against a male chest. Definitely not Momo-san.  
  
Still, Yohji didn't get up. He examined the arms around his waist, noting the corded muscle, suggesting that the man was not unused to physical labor, saw the tanned skin. The man's hands were soft, but had the look of recently softened calluses. He ran his fingers down the side of one of those hands, feeling the soft, firm skin.  
  
Yohji became aware of the other man's soft breathing against his neck, a few hairs brushing against his shoulders. The other softly kissed the neck in front of him, no more than a brush of lips against the curve of his shoulder. The sensation tingled down Yohji's entire body, settling in his groin and working magic on his flesh.  
  
Then the other's hands went to work, one moving from around his waist to caress his chest, brushing teasingly against a nipple. Yohji let out a small moan at the sensation as the other hand went to work on the ties of his sweat pants, while butterfly kisses were rained down on the back and sides of his neck.  
  
Yohji looked to the side, catching sight of a lock of flame red hair before turning to face the man he knew would be behind him, had known was there since he'd heard the other in the room.  
  
He caught Shuldich's face between his hands and brought him in for a long passionate kiss. Yohji ran his tongue along Shuldich's partially open lips, seeking entrance. Shuldich's mouth opened for Yohji, his tongue sneaking into Yohji's own mouth and performing an exploration itself.  
  
Shuldich's hands had never stilled on Yohji, moving to caress his sides, his chest, his stomach, any bit of skin he could touch. One of Yohji's hands slid down to tease at a nipple, making Shuldich moan into Yohji's mouth. Yohji's other hand found its way to the back of Shuldich's neck, his fingers lightly caressing while the palm kept the other man in place.  
  
Shuldich ran out of patience with the teasing when Yohji went to work on his other nipple. He wrapped the blonde's legs around his waist, holding him tightly while picking his up for the few steps to the soft bed. He deposited Yohji on the bed, straightening him before placing one knee on either side of Yohji's feet. He shed his clothing as he crawled his way up to the blonde's lips, ending up in only a pair of silky boxers upon reaching his goal.  
  
Yohji ran his hands up and down the red heads sides when their mouths met, loving the feeling of soft skin over muscle. He moved his wandering hands to Shuldich's back, exploring the muscles flowing there with Shuldich's every move.  
  
They both moaned when Shuldich rotated his hips, creating wonderful friction between their erections. The red head started to kiss a path down the others chest, stopping at the nipples to lick and nip. Yohji made a low sound in the back of his throat when the German leaned back and blew on the sensitive nubs, making them harden further. He resumed his downward progress, reaching to Yohji's sweatpants and tugging them down as he went. They were low enough by the time the other was at his groin that he could kick them all the way off.  
  
Shuldich licked at the other man's inner thighs and lower stomach, letting his breath caress the impressive length in front of him. The blonde moaned and entangled his hands in the sunset red strands of hair when he nuzzled Yohji's sacs.  
  
"Shu." he begged when Shuldich stopped to gaze up at him. The red head smirked at the state his prey had been reduced to, keeping eye contact as he took the blonde's head into his mouth, enjoying the wordless cry when he swirled his tongue around it and in the slit. He decided he wanted to hear more of those cries.  
  
He succeeded in that goal the moment he took all of Yohji's arousal into his mouth and in his throat, starting to move his head at a languid pace. Yohji almost jumped when he felt a single finger trace his opening, but was distracted as the suction on his hardened member was increased.  
  
He had just enough cognitive ability left to wonder where the lube on that digit came from before it was pushed inside him. His hands tightened on the hair he was holding, but he was pacified again by the mouth encasing his cock. He hissed as another finger was added. He groaned as a third finger was added, but then they touched a spot inside that made him see stars.  
  
He let out a half whimper, half whine when both sensations were removed. Shuldich brought one of his legs over a shoulder, the other automatically winding around his waist as he positioned himself infront of Yohji's entrance, his boxers having been discarded sometime before.  
  
Yohji's hands came up over his head to grasp his pillow as the head of the other mans cock passed the ring of muscle, his teeth clenching as he tried to ignore the pain. Shuldich bent down, never stopping his slow, steady penetration of the man beneath him, and started to kiss the other's neck and collar bone. He traced a pattern with his tongue, making his way up Yohji's jawbone, finally reaching the blonde's lips. They shared another heated kiss as Shuldich seated the rest of his aching member inside his partner.  
  
They stayed immobile for a few moments, Shuldich barely managing to stay still until he was sure he wouldn't hurt the man beneath him. As soon as he was relaxed enough, Yohji thrust his hips back and up, trying to tell the other to move.  
  
Shuldich hit Yohji's sweet spot on his first thrust, causing the blonde to gasp and moan. He reached up to clutch at the man who started to set a brutal pace.  
  
Shuldich gathered Yohji up in his arms and sat up, bringing them both upright. He placed his hands on Yohji's hips, guiding him in the rhythm he had set, helping him skewer himself on the other's hardened flesh.  
  
Yohji threw his head back with abandon, letting himself go with the sensations gripping his body, the feeling of sweat slick flesh rubbing together, his partner's hands on his hips, his mouth on Yohji's neck. And most of all, the cock thrusting deep inside of him, creating the wonderful sensation of being filled, brushing against his prostate with every motion of the red heads hips.  
  
He felt his completion come closer with every thrust movement that was made, the sensations coming over him in ever increasing waves until he thought he couldn't stand feeling any more. He was taken over the edge when a warm hand sneaked it's way between their bodies and started to work on his cock, setting a counter-rhythm to the thrusts inside of him.  
  
"Shuldich!" He cried out as he came, spurting his seed over himself and his lover, his hands clutching at the shoulders infront of him, only to find that his lover had disappeared and his room was dark and. . . and he woke up.  
  
It had been a dream.  
  
Yohji sat bolt upright, looking at the mess he had made in his boxers in shock.  
  
"Well. . . Shit,"  
  
++++++++ Tuesday, three days left.  
  
The dream led Yohji to several conclusions, one of which was that he was getting too close, another of which was that his red headed client needed to be set up really soon. He also started to wonder about his motives concerning Shuldich - did he really have the man's best interests in heart when he set him up? Was it just jealousy that led him to give the other man poor dates? He didn't think so, but still wasn't sure. He did know that he could no longer trust his motives when it came to this man.  
  
He sat in his office uncharacteristically early, trying to think up flaws in his plan to set Shuldich up with Crawford. He couldn't se any offhand, but that didn't mean tere wern't any there. He didn't trust his natural intuitive ability to read people at the moment.  
  
He glanced at his clock. 9 30. Brad should be at work by now. He was the type to get in disgustingly early, even when it wasn't absolutely necessary. This habit had given Yohji a headache more than once in his previous career.  
  
He picked up the telephone in preparation to call Crawford, see what he could set up.  
  
The phone rang once. Hmm, probably should have thought out what to say to the man before dialing. Twice. Maybe invite him out to a friendly lunch. The man could be a stickler for business, but that didn't make him bad company by any stretch of the imagination. Infact, he was one of the most teasable people Yohji knew, and this made him all the more fun.  
  
"Hello?" Said Brad, finally picking up the phone.  
  
"Braddy!" Yohji said cheerfully.  
  
Brad hung up the phone. Herm. This was going to be more difficult than he'd thought. He would have to not tease the man if he wanted him to go out on a date. He tried calling again.  
  
Three rings later, Brad picked up the phone again. "What?"  
  
"Crawford," Yohji said, still cheerful.  
  
"Kudoh. What do you want?" Well, that just wasn't nice. Brad was being all icy and distant. Yohji hated when people did this, it made him feel like he was being a disturbance. Which he was, but that was beside the point right now.  
  
"You want to go to lunch today?" Yohji asked.  
  
"No." Crawford said, projecting his glare over the phone lines and straight into Yohji's brain.  
  
"Common Br - uh, Crawford" Yohji said, "I'll even let you try to lure me back to work. Again."  
  
Brad took a moment to think about this. Yohji had been a very good representative for the company. He was worth good at attracting people, and Brad had seen an opportunity in him the moment Yohji had been hired. This is why he had been trying to get Yohji to come back to work for the company at every opportunity.  
  
And he wasn't about to stop now. This was too good an opportunity to miss out on - Yohji and he in a secluded spot, with no one to bother them, talking about things that had great importance in life. Brad almost sighed at the perfect picture in his head, thinking of all the business he could get done in that perfect setting.  
  
"Fine." He said, "Meet me in the lobby at eleven - thirty."  
  
Yohji grinned. It was always so easy to read Crawford. He just needed to think of what would earn the most money.  
  
+++++++++ Later,  
  
Yohji stood leaning against the front counter in the impressive lobby of Rozenkruz Hotel, looking up at the chandelier hanging above him. He'd always thought of how easily it could come crashing down on all the people walking underneath, and how no one ever paid it any attention at all.  
  
Someone cleared their throat right by his elbow, causing Yohji to look down into the blue eyes of a woman standing next to him. She was wearing a uniform skirt suit of the hotel, and looking at him with no small amount of amusement. Her bright red hair curled around her shoulders.  
  
"Manx!" Yohji exclaimed, giving her a huge hug. "It's good to see you, how have you been?"  
  
Manx chuckled at Yohji's enthusiasm. "I've been fine Yotan. Birman and I were wondering if you were avoiding us, we haven't seen you in so long."  
  
"Avoid a beautiful woman like yourself? Never!" Yohji said, giving her a playful leer, his arms still around her from the hug.  
  
"Oi," Said a second woman behind Yohji, "Keep your eyes to yourself Kudoh. And unhand my partner this instant."  
  
Yohji spun around, smiling at Birman. "Ah, Birman!" he said, his face turning serious, "I've been meaning to tell you this, but the right moment hasn't come up . . ." Birman looked at him suspiciously. "I . . . well that is. . . Manx and I, we've been having an affair for the past month, and I'm stealing her away from you." He grabbed Manx around the waist and hoisted her up while she laughed and hit his arm.  
  
"Yohji! Put me down!" she said, but couldn't get any more out than that as she was laughing too hard. Birman rolled her eyes and smiled at her friends' antics.  
  
"Kudoh!" snapped Crawford, who had come up while Yohji was trying to give Manx a kiss on the cheek. "Stop harassing my staff."  
  
Yohji looked up with a smile. "Ah, Brad, you too! I have come to declare my undying love for your worker, and - oof, stop squirming dearest - and ride off with her into the sunset!"  
  
Crawford sighed. "I knew this was a bad idea."  
  
"Not at all Brad," Yohji said, putting Manx down with a smile and wandering over to the businessman. "I was just teasing. Would you like to go talk business now?"  
  
The word 'business' got Crawford out of his bad mood quickly. "Let's go," he said, heading to the door.  
  
Yohji stopped to farewell Manx, saying "I'm sorry my love, but the sunset will have to wait for us until a later date." He kissed her hand and gave Birman a hug before trotting outside to where Crawford was waiting. They set off for a restaurant down the street that they had gone to several times while Yohji was still working for Rozenkruz.  
  
"So," Crawford said when he had sat down, "What do you want?"  
  
Ah yes, straight to the point. This was one of the features Yohji was never quite sure he liked or disliked - Crawford's way of cutting straight to the point. He put off answering by looking over the menu and deciding on strawberry pancakes.  
  
"Well?" Crawford asked with an eyebrow raised.  
  
Yohji wasn't quite sure how to handle this. He knew Crawford fairly well, and didn't know what approach to take in getting him to go out. Until now, Yohji had been fairly respectful about Crawford's decision not to have a partner.  
  
They ordered their meals, without Yohji having said a thing to answer his ex-boss.  
  
"You know," Crawford said, getting impatient now, "You're being uncharecteristicaly quiet. It makes me suspect I'm not going to like whatever it is you have to say."  
  
Hm. Well, best to just get it over with. . . "Brad," Yohji said, looking serious, "I want you to go out on a date."  
  
"No."  
  
So much for that plan.  
  
"Why not?" Yohji said, still in his serious, business mode. This was the only way to deal with Crawford.  
  
Who glared at Yohji as he replied, "Because I don't want to. End of story."  
  
Yohji saw that he would be hard pressed to convince the man this time. Six years of friendship allowed him to see the depth of Crawford's determination on this subject. It was time to bring out the big guns.  
  
He let his expression soften, knowing that what he was about to do was underhanded, but not caring at this point - he needed to set Shuldich up with someone, before he did something he'd regret. "Crawford," he began, knowing that that was the name his friend proffered, "I've known you for a long time now, and I think I'm justified in saying that I understand at least some of what you've been through in your life. You have to get over him sometime. . ."  
  
There. It was said. Something that Yohji had known for a long time - that Brad had gotten very hurt by a lover at some point in time. He wasn't quite sure when, because it was around the time Asuka died and his sense of time around that period was somewhat unreliable. But he knew something had happened to make the man sitting across from him not want to have anything to do with relationships.  
  
Yohji had respected this because he felt it was important for Crawford to heal, but you can only heal for so long before it becomes habit to be alone. That, and the fact that an angry Crawford scared Yohji.  
  
He looked up into the dark haired man's wide eyes. He looked poleaxed, like someone hid just hit him in the gut. Which was essentially what had just happened.  
  
"How do you know about that?" He asked in a weak voice.  
  
"I figured it out a while ago," Yohji replied honestly. "I thought you needed time to heal. But Crawford, you have to move on."  
  
The anger returned in Crawford's eyes then. "Hypocrite," He hissed at Yohji, "You think *I * need to move on? What about yourself? It's okay for you to mope and mourn your Asuka, and not for me?"  
  
"I - I didn't mean that," Yohji said, trying to think up a good response but coming up blank.  
  
Then the anger seemed to drain out of Crawford, replaced by weiriness. "I'm leaving," he said, putting down his napkin in preparation of getting up.  
  
"No, wait!" Yohji reached across the table to restrain his friend, who, for once stopped to listen to him. "I - please Brad. I'm just trying to help. . ."  
  
Brad sighed. "I know Yohji. I just don't think I need to be helped right now."  
  
"I'll - I'll," Yohji stuttered, trying to think of something he could offer Brad in exchange for going on this date which could help both Crawford and Shuldich. "I'll work at the hotel for a week!" he blurted out.  
  
Crawford looked at him in surprise, that soon faded into his accountant face, his eyes staring through Yohji while he calculated how much money he could make off that one week.  
  
Good, he was considering. Now Yohji just needed to prod him along a little. . . He looked at Crawford plaintively, his eyes going round and glossy, lips pouting just a little bit.  
  
"Please?" he asked softly.  
  
The puppy - dog eyes goaded Crawford into saying "Yes," before he even thought it all through.  
  
"But this had better be good," He warned. Yohji smiled and braced himself for a lunch spent talking about what he was to do when Crawford finally got his week of work. Crawford was planning on getting as much work out of him as was humanly possible, and then some. It was going to be a long week.  
  
++++++++++ Tuesday, about three  
  
Shuldich was just about to leave for work at three o'clock when the phone rang.  
  
"Yeah?" he answered.  
  
"Shu!" Said Yohji on the other ling, sounding much too cheerful. "Good news!"  
  
Oh Hell. That can't be good, Shuldich thought. He realized that Yohji was waiting for him to say something. "Well?" he asked.  
  
"I've found another date for you. Can you come in tomorrow at about two?"  
  
Shuldich meant to think this over a little bit, bring up his schedule and see what was happening with work tomorrow, but found that his mouth had agreed without his brain's knowledge. That seemed to happen a lot when he was around Yohji.  
  
"Who's the date?" he asked.  
  
"A friend of mine, who I think you'll like. He used to work with me way back, and I kept in touch. He's fun to hang out with,"  
  
"Hmm. And what makes him so much fun?" Shuldich asked, not really wanting an answer, just needing to hear the other man's voice for a while longer. Shit, this was becoming obsessive. He had to get away, and soon.  
  
"Oh, he's fun to tease. His name is Brad Crawford, he hates being called Braddy. So I do all the time. I dunno, just hang out with him. Have lunch or dinner or something. It'll be fun, I promise.  
  
"I suppose I'll see tomorrow, won't I?" Shuldich asked with a sigh. Only three days left. He wasn't sure if he was relieved or not.  
  
"Yeah," Yohji said, sounding preoccupied. Maybe even disappointed? What the hell?  
  
"Uh," Shuldich said, to break himself out of his own thoughts, "I was just about to head out to work. I'll, um, see you at three then."  
  
Damn, now he was getting nervous! Him! Nervous about going over to see Yohji! The man was driving him absolutely insane, obviously.  
  
"Oh, okay. I'll. . . see you then." Yohji said, sounding just as nervous as Shuldich felt. This was getting too bizarre.  
  
They hung up their phones, both wondering what the hell had just gone on. Shuldich walked out his door with a frown.  
  
+++++++++ Tuesday night,  
  
Farfarello had followed his instincts all over the city, looking for his prey. It was difficult - this was a very big city. He had thought of killing a few people, and almost had gone into a few churches on his way, but had restrained himself. The hunt was more important than these people. Besides, he would kill them all later.  
  
He found himself on a street corner in the relative dark, looking around. He felt as if he was being pulled in several directions at once - there was one telling him to go to his left, and one to his right. He decided on his right, thinking that it was busier in that direction. His prey had never been able to resist large groups, claiming that he could get lost in them.  
  
He remembered that, as well as everything about the one he was hunting. But he could remember nothing else. His past was a blank other than the man with flame red hair.  
  
Sometimes he wondered why he knew so much about his prey. He tried to think back to a time when he could remember his life, but doing so would hurt his head to the point that he'd feel like he was going to explode. Those were the times he needed an outside distraction. It was one of those times when he'd taken out his own eye, and each of his scars was a testament of how often he tried to see into his past.  
  
But it never worked, which made him madder. Over time, he came to enjoy the pain he was inflicting on himself, waiting eagerly until the next time he allowed his mind to wander.  
  
Again, he wondered why the stupid people had left all of his knives in the hospital he'd been staying at. He knew that, for whatever reason, people got upset when he cut himself. So why leave them there?  
  
Ah well, he'd sold them and gotten new ones. He grinned as he pulled out a small knife from his sleeve, testing the edge on the ball of his thumb. A line of blood appeared, which he licked off.  
  
There was a club infront of him, the entrance in an extremely well lit alleyway, orbs of light hanging down over the long line of people.  
  
He sneered and hid in the alleyway opposite from this one, watching all the people as they laughed and went on about their business. He wondered how many he could kill before they knew he was there, how many he could kill afterwards, when they were all running.  
  
He was hidden in the darkness, just as he liked. It wasn't actually full darkness - which was practically impossible in a city of this size. But it was at least darker than the surrounding area.  
  
He didn't think about the fact that his pale skin and white-blonde hair might bring attention to himself, but also didn't really care if it did. Which was actually the case.  
  
"Hey," Said a voice by his ear, low and gravely. A knife appeared by his throat making him pause before slowly turning his head to look at his assailant out of the corner of his eye. "Give me all your money," Said the person behind him.  
  
Farfarello smiled. He had just been lamenting the fact that he was too preoccupied with his hunt to kill anyone else, and here a perfect candidate fell into his lap.  
  
It was just too bad that the death of this one would actually be a boon to God, instead of a burden. Ah well, blood was blood after all.  
  
The man with the knife frowned upon seeing the smile stretching across his victim's face. This wasn't supposed to happen. He then took in the numerous scars, the eye-patch, and most of all, the knife the other held. It finally occurred to him that this might not be the best person to deal with, and he tried to slowly back away, keeping his own knife on the other man's neck for as long as possible. Then he broke into a run.  
  
This just made Farfarello all the happier, chasing after the man through a maze of alleys, letting him think he'd lost is hunter, and then jumping out around a corner. The man seemed to avoid all populated places, perhaps because he already had a police record of his own, and didn't want to get caught again. For whatever reason, he led Farfarello on a merry chase. But he bored of this game after a while, and decided to end it.  
  
When he was done with the man, he looked up to the streets around him. He was now nowhere near where he'd been, with no clear way of getting back other than his instincts again. Well, he'd already tried one way and found nothing, he might as well go to the other place he had thought might bear fruit.  
  
He walked for a long time, not really bothered by how far he had chased his prey. It had been a good hunt, and a satisfying kill, which was all that mattered.  
  
He came to his destination, and looked upon it in confusion. It wasn't the type of place he expected his prey to go on a regular basis. A flower shop wasn't exactly characteristic of the red head.  
  
But then Farfarello looked up to the second floor, and he knew. This was the place he would take down his prey. 


	6. Chapter 5b A Little Get Together

Disclaimer: Hmm, repetitive much? NO, for the last time, I do not own anything. I am getting * no* money. Infact, I think I just lost $150 in the mail, (Bangs head on wall while berating self) so if anyone tries to sue, you gotta find the person who took it. *snarls at mailmen *  
  
Authors Notes: OK, here's the rest of Chapter five. I'll see if I can't pop out six by tomorrow, but things are not looking good. Damn mail. . . grr.  
  
+++++++++ Wednesday, two days left.  
  
Yohji was in his office the next morning, trying to tidy before Crawford got there. He was supposed to come in early, so that Yohji could tell him a bit about Shuldich. It was, perhaps, a bit unfair for Crawford to know more about his date than Shuldich did. But Yohji had to keep in mind who he was dealing with here - it was a lot more productive to his continued health for Crawford to be accepting of this than unhappy with the proceedings.  
  
So, he was trying to make a good impression by having the office clean and organized, when someone knocked on the door. It was only eleven thirty, an hour early for Crawford. Yohji frowned. Even his ex - boss wasn't that maniacally early. He went to answer it, a cold tingle going down his spine.  
  
He paused at the door, examining this reaction. It wasn't often he got premonitions of danger, but he was getting one now. He tried to figure out what it could be, and several answers popped to mind. I jilted lover, a failed relationship, or perhaps the worst yet - fangirls. He shuddered, remembering one too many stalkers.  
  
Ah well, he couldn't just stand infront of the door all day. He turned the handle and opened the door.  
  
The man standing infront of him was fairly normal in dress, but that was about it. He was much too pale for Japan, with scars running across his face and exposed skin, an eye-patch over one eye. He was holding a knife, running it repeatedly over one finger. Worst of all though, was not his apathetic yellow eye, but the blood splattered across his chest. It wasn't his blood.  
  
Yohji slammed the door closed and leaned against it, trying to keep from going into shock. There was a crazy man with a knife right outside of his door. He had to call the police, he had to get the man out of the building, and quickly. Momo-san was right downstairs, steeing up for work, if the man went down there who knows what he would do to her.  
  
Just as Yohji pushed himself off the door, shaking with pent up adrenaline, an arm crashed through the window and venetian blinds, grabbing him around the throat and pulling back. Yohji was stretched over the wooden frame of his door, his mind going a mile a minute.  
  
His conscious may not have known what to do in this situation. But he had been taught self-defence at a very early age. His limbs remembered the movements, kicking up while leaning still further backwards, managing to kick the insane man on the shoulder before Yohji hoisted himself upright and spun around.  
  
"Who the * Hell* are you?!" he asked, backing towards the desk and the phone, never taking his eyes off the stranger infront of him. He reached backwards, where he knew his phone, and the possibility of help lay.  
  
Then he watched with mounting horror as the man infront of him reached down to the wall near the door and ripped his phone jack out.  
  
He had just enough time to think, Now, I am fucked.  
  
And then a fist landed on the side of his neck, and he knew no more.  
  
+++++++++  
  
Yohji woke up with the worst hangover he had ever had in his entire life. He slowly opened his eyes, having long practice of dealing with adding sunlight to headaches. Several things made themselves known t o him at this time. One was that he was on the floor. The second was that there was still an insane man with a knife sitting infront of him.  
  
This woke Yohji up better than the pain coursing through his temples could. He scrambled back to the corner of his office, looking around for anything he could use to defend himself. The insane man just stared at him, his eye not betraying any emotion at all.  
  
"Who are you?" Yohji asked again.  
  
The man cocked his head, seeming to think for a while before answering. "Farfarello." He said.  
  
For a moment, Yohji thought the man might not understand Japanese, that he spoke some other, bizarre language. Then he realized that this was the answer to his question.  
  
"Why are you here?" He tried asking, now that the man seemed to be a bit calmer.  
  
"You know my prey. He will come to you, if I wait. He will be made to hurt."  
  
Alright, now Yohji was * really* freaked out. But what the man said, someone would come here, gave Yohji hope of getting out of this alive. It was fifteen minutes until twelve; fifteen minutes until Crawford was due to arrive. He could get help, get Yohji the hell out of this situation.  
  
The man infront of him smiled like a child. "I like the colour of blood. Do you?"  
  
Oh man. Braaaaad!!!  
  
++++++++  
  
Crawford was putting off going to Yohji's office. He knew he was doing it too, and it was making him irritable. More so than normal. He organized the finished paperwork on his desk for the third time. Adjusted his the pens on his desk. Placed his paperweight just so. . .  
  
The truth was that he'd gotten a bad feeling about going to Yohji's place that day. Sometimes he got these premonitions, and they never failed to be true. It was something he'd had since childhood, something he always tried to hide from everyone else, but was secretly grateful for, as it kept him out of danger, financially and physically. Most of the time.  
  
When his hand reached for the already neat pile of papers for the fourth time, Crawford got fed up. He stood and glared down at the desk infront of him. Unless he wanted to be late, it was time to go. He grabbed his coat, pulling it violently.  
  
One week of work. He'd gotten Yohji to come back for one week, in which he would be made to work hard enough to make up for all the time he'd missed. And to compensate for calling Crawford by his first name.  
  
He left the office with a last show of reluctance, then squared his shoulders before heading out into the world. He wouldn't run from whatever was coming.  
  
The drive over was suspiciously calm. Nothing out of the ordinary. It put Crawford's hackles up even more. He pulled up to the office, parking his car out front and nodding to Momo-san before heading up to the office.  
  
He almost smiled at the destruction he saw there, confirming his suspicions. Well, at least he knew where the danger was now.  
  
But nothing could have prepared him for the scene that met his eyes upon entering the office. There in the corner sat Yohji, his eyes wide and wild, watching as a man jumped around his office, waving a knife around, lost in the telling of some gruesome story.  
  
"And then, the nurse started running away! After she'd jabbed me with that needle filled with who knows what! So I took that needle and used it to slice into her skin-"  
  
He kept talking for a moment, telling the by now slightly green Yohji about what he'd done to the poor nurse. Crawford was riveted to the floor, his eyes wide, not really hearing the story that was spilling from the other man's lips. He just stared at him.  
  
Finally, a word got past his lips. It was barely a whisper, hardly loud enough to carry to the other man's ears. "Jei?" he said.  
  
The ice-blonde man stopped mid sentence, frozen in his tracks. His arms fell limp to his sides, eye staring straight forward in shock.  
  
Yohji looked to the door, and saw his savior standing there, looking at the back of the man who'd been terrorizing Yohji for the past fifteen minutes. Finally, help! Or at least that's what he thought. The one-eyed man slowly turned to face the new arrival.  
  
Crawford took one step forward, then two. He suddenly rushed to the other man's side, enveloping him in his arms, whispering to him, telling him how much he was missed.  
  
"Jei, oh love, I've missed you so much. Why are you here? Jei, did they let you out? Jei?"  
  
The other man did not respond at all. He stood there and stared at Crawford with a small amount of fear in his eyes, arms still limp by his sides as Crawford held him close.  
  
He finally spoke when Crawford was silent for a moment, waiting for some response. "Jei is dead."  
  
Crawford looked at him in shock, then in something close to defeat. "I see." He said. "They didn't let you at all, did they? What did you do? Why are you here?"  
  
Farfarello stared at Crawford before issuing a question of his own. "Who are you?"  
  
+++++++  
Shuldich did not want to go to Yohji's office either. He also had a bad feeling about today's meeting, but stemming from a different feeling. He felt as if someone was staring at him all the time, or like he'd forgotten something very important. He just couldn't figure it out, and didn't want to see Yohji while in such a state. God knows what he might let slip.  
  
He lay on his couch, his arm covering his eyes so he didn't have to stare at the clock. Why, he asked himself for the thousandth time, had he agreed to this? It was a stupid bet. It wasn't worth all this stress. Not even the penthouse of the fanciest hotel was worth all the confusion he was going through now.  
  
At least there were only two nights left. Then he would get his nice, silent hotel room, away from all human habitation. Away from Yohji and his confusing thoughts. Then why, *why * did he feel so horrible at the thought?  
  
Shuldich threw down his arm and glared at his clock. He was late. And he was feeling worse and worse, his stomach knotting at the thought of going over there. That's it, he thought, I'm not going. I'll call Yohji and tell him that he can take his date and . . . The thought was never completed due to the pang of anxiety he felt at the thought of the blonde man he'd been angsting over.  
  
Shuldich sat up and rolled his eyes. What the hell is wrong with me? I'm acting like a lovesick teen. And I'm not a teen, or in love. I can't love anymore. Oh Jei, why did you have to go and ruin everything?  
  
No, enough of this. He was going to that office, and he was going to talk to Yohji about this whole thing. Maybe they could call a truce or something. Maybe I can beat him up for being so damn confusing. . .  
  
Shuldich got up and ready to go out. If he hurried, he'd only be five minutes late. He gnawed on his lower lip and stared at his phone for a moment, wondering if he could possibly get reprieve. He dialed the number, his stomach twisting more than ever.  
  
"This number is out of service," came the voice over the telephone. Shuldich fought back panic. Nothing was wrong, there were probably just downed wires or something. He hung up the phone and left the house in a brisk walk, nearly jogging the several blocks to Yohji's office.  
  
There was a nice car right outside the flower shop that gave him the creeps for some reason. He went up the stairs with some trepidation, not knowing what to expect.  
  
Whatever notions he'd formed about the weird feelings he'd been having were intensified by the sight of broken glass on the landing, some of it tinged with blood.  
  
"Yohji!" he cried, lunging through the door, anxious for the blonde.  
  
He found a scene from out of his worst nightmares. There they were, all over again. Standing, holding each other and smiling. Well, this time they were not so happy, but the image from the past imposed itself on his mind, making him lose his breath.  
  
He gasped and felt his mind go numb, like the calm before a storm. He only needed one trigger, and the tempest would begin.  
  
Everyone in the room had looked up upon Shuldich's arrival. Recognition registered in two and a half pairs of eyes, with varying feelings.  
  
Yohji was happy to see someone slightly sane enter the scene. Farfarello grinned at the appearance of the man he'd been hunting all this time. Crawford looked shocked.  
  
"You!" Crawford said to the red head standing frozen in the doorway.  
  
And that was all Shuldich needed to open the floodgates in his mind. 


	7. Things Go Crazy Literally

Disclaimer: I own a computer. I own this plot. I own a massive collection of anime and manga. (Including Weis Kruz Gluhen, in which Yohji is . . . not Yohji. I'm sorry, they ruined him. Bastards.) But I do not own Weis Kruz, or I would have had Yohji not insane in Gluhen. ( I repeat, Bastards.)  
  
Authors Note: Believe me, I have excuses for being so late. More at bottom, as well as thanks.  
  
Yotan's Dating Service  
  
Chapter 6  
  
+++++++++  
  
Shuldich stood, watching the two men in the center of the room, one light the other dark. Assholes, both of them. They deserved to die. Fucking back- stabbers! Fucking low-down, cheating . . . It hurt. It hurt a lot. And he was going to make sure they felt every ounce of his pain.  
  
++++++++++  
  
Yohji sat in his little corner, watching with shock as the scene unfolded infront of him. The madman who he'd thought would kill him, the man he'd thought would save him, and Shuldich . . . whose face went through shock and pain, then settled on rage. He was staring right at the madman.  
  
Oooooh, was he ever confused. Especially when the light haired man's eye rolled back into his head, and he started whimpering, then going into small convulsions.  
  
"No!" Brad yelled from where he was trying to support Farfarello - Jei - whoever it was. "You fucking sadistic bastard! You just had to come back and hurt him again! Get the hell away from us!"  
  
Er, thought Yohji, Again? He slowly got up off the floor, moving cautiously so that he didn't attract attention to himself. What the hell was he supposed to do now? Hmm, guess that date is off, anyway. . .  
  
The madman's legs buckled, causing Brad to pay attention to him, and not the redhead standing still in the door. He hadn't moved, hadn't even taken his eyes off of the madman. The look of rage was still in his eyes. Yohji started to make his way over to him. This was Shuldich, just Shuldich, Yohji didn't need to be afraid of him. Shuldich wouldn't hurt him, he thought as he took one slow step at a time. He didn't want to be noticed by this man, not by the Shuldich standing infront of him. He liked the normal Shuldich - perhaps a little too much - but he didn't want Shuldich's eyes to meet his right now. Not while he was like this. He just wanted the man he'd gotten to know back - the one with a sharp tongue and biting wit.  
  
He was two steps away, then one. And then he was standing right next to the enraged German. What to do now? Er, he hadn't really thought that far ahead . . . well, he'd always been a fan of doing what his instincts dictated. Time to put them to use.  
  
He stepped yet closer and softly laid a hand on Shuldich's upper arm. Nothing happened, not even a twitch. He placed his mouth near the other man's ear, and whispered, "Shuldich," hoping the sound of his name would snap him out of it. Sure enough, some of the feeling drained out of his eyes, he started to look uneasy. "Shuldich, come back,"  
  
++++++++++  
  
That's right, feel the pain, share the pain with me you cheating low down son of a bitch see what you've done to my life -  
  
Shuldich . . .  
  
What the hell-? No. No, don't do that. I won't be distracted. Go away.  
  
But - but I know that voice -  
  
No! These bastards deserve to die-!  
  
Shuldich, come back . . .  
  
What? No, I can't come back, can't come . . . but . . .  
  
But I want to. I was happy there, with him . . .  
  
Can I go back? Too vulnerable . . . but he's there . . . never get attached. Never.  
  
Shit.  
  
I already am.  
  
Shuldich turned his head towards Yohji, and looked into the green eyes that stared back at him, trying to find something about him, anything that would lead him to be mistrusted. He found only concern. And a healthy dose of fear, but mostly concern. For - for Shuldich.  
  
Shuldich felt his strength running out of him like last night's beer. He collapsed, trying to brace himself for the hard wooden floor rushing to meet him. It never did. He found himself in the one position he didn't want to be in - in Yohji's arms. Oh hell, the man was making distancing himself very difficult.  
  
He still didn't know what to make of the situation. It had been so ingrained in his brain - never get close to anyone. It had been drilled into his mind over and over again, his entire life, he couldn't just break that habit because of one man. But for the moment, he wasn't going anywhere. He would enjoy this moment, just this once. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the warm body holding him, listening to the slightly rapid heart beat right by his ear.  
  
There was a crash, and he reluctantly looked up, trying his hardest not to look to the center of the room, but failing. Hm. Farfarello had jumped out the window.  
  
Oh dear.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Yohji was relieved when Schuldich looked at him, thinking it was an improvement over the blind rage. But now the fury was replaced with something else - pain? Caution? It didn't matter, it was better than anger. Or that was what he thought until Shuldich collapsed, causing Yohji to act fast, grabbing him around the waist and shoulders, holding him tightly.  
  
This is very, very weird. He thought, burying his face into the other man's hair, closing his eyes in an attempt to think his situation out. And holding Shuldich like this is very, very nice . . . Gah! Mind out of the gutter Yotan. You have one crazy man and one anal-retentive man sitting in the center of the room, doing god-knows-what.  
  
Yohji looked up to see Brad crouching by Farfarello, who was curled into a little ball on the floor. The American was talking softly to the crazy man, trying to get his attention. He reached out a hand to touch the prone form, but recoiled in shock when the other leapt to his feet, looking like a wild animal trapped in a cage. His eyes fell on the broken door, but he cringed when he saw that Shuldich and Yohji were blocking it. His panicked eyes fell on the window just as Brad reached out to grab his arm, trying to restrain him from what he knew was coming the moment the Irish man had started looking for escape routes.  
  
But it was too late - Farfarello took a flying leap at the window, breaking through it with startling ease and plummeting to the ground below.  
  
"Shit!" Brad said, looking down to where Farfarello had fallen, watching as the other man stumbled to his feet and started running down the street. Brad turned around quickly, meeting Yohji's wide eyes. "Lets go," He said, grabbing the blonde by the arm and starting to drag him away from the office.  
  
"What?" Yohji asked.  
  
"We need to find him. We'll use your car, it'll be faster. And bring Him," Brad said, pointing and glaring at Shuldich, who still looked somewhat dazed, but awake enough now to glare back. "He's going to fix what he did."  
  
"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what the hell is going on!"  
  
"I'll explain in the car, now move!"  
  
Shuldich broke off from Yohji, stumbling back and glaring at Brad. "I am not going anywhere with this bastard," He spat out.  
  
"Oh yes you are," Brad retorted.  
  
"No, I will not! Just get the hell out of my life!"  
  
Yohji was getting a headache. He wanted to know what was going on, but the only way Brad would tell him was if he got his way and they went to the car. He knew the American enough to be familiar with his stubborn streak. "Shu," He said, looking plaintively at the red head. "Please,"  
  
Shuldich looked over at the only person he had trusted in three years. Damn the man to hell for having such convincing eyes. Shuldich growled as he stalked out the door, not noticing as Brad reached out to stop him, or as Yohji batted the Americans hand out of the way.  
  
"Are you coming or not?" He said over his shoulder.  
  
+++++++++  
  
Yohji had a nice car, however unused it was the majority of the time. It was a Camero convertible from America - two door with power steering, power windows and lots of other things with the word 'power' in them. Yohji liked his car. He liked the way it drove, liked the look of the body, the feel of the leather seats.  
  
Brad did not like Yohji's car. He thought it was superfluous, over priced and completely unneeded in the city - he'd much prefer a nice Mercedes. He let Yohji know exactly what he thought of his car, and often, which was one of the reasons Yohji took such pleasure in aggravating the American. It was merely vengeance in the name of his car.  
  
Brad sneered at the gearshift from his passenger seat, but did not comment on the outdated manual for fear of a car crash. Instead he looked out his window, trying vainly to catch a glimpse of the man he had lost.  
  
Shuldich was holed up in the back seat, also not saying anything, staring out the window but not looking for the missing Irish man. He crossed his arms, not telling the others what he knew - where Farfarello had gone - for the simple reason that he really didn't want to find the person he held responsible for ruining his life.  
  
Yohji was getting really, really sick of the silence in his car. "An explanation would be nice," He said finally.  
  
Brad stayed silent. Shuldich watched the world pass by outside his window.  
  
"Alright, I just had a madman attack me, threaten my life, tell me about people he's killed, and break all the glass I have in my office. Explain."  
  
Brad glared at him. "Keep searching, he couldn't have gone far."  
  
Shuldich looked uneasy.  
  
Time for drastic measures. "Sooooo, you guys hear about that local sports team?" he started. "Hear they're doing poorly this year. And one of them might be having an affair with someone in parliament. It's causing a big stir with all the higher-class club goers. And speaking of parliament-" Oh yes. He could see the nervous twitch start up in Brad's right eyebrow already. And he knew Shuldich couldn't stand this kind of talk - though he could hold out against it for an incredibly long time. "-And then Tsukushi told this guy that she liked the other guy who went to Paris after that model girl -"  
  
"Alright! Shut up!" Brad said. "I'll tell you what happened. Christ, how do you know so much gossip?"  
  
"Hazard of the job. Stop avoiding the subject." Yohji leveled a quick, icy look at his ex-employer. It was returned in full.  
  
Brad looked back out the window, collecting his thoughts. "It started for me when I went to Germany, to help set up our chain there. It was about three and a half years ago, when you were still working for us. I hired Jei, the man who was once Farfarello," he spat out the name, as if he disliked the very taste of it on his tongue. "I hired him for the front desk because I liked his image," there was a snort from the back seat, which made Brad narrow his eyes. He kept talking. "He was perfect for the job, incredibly good with the customers, understanding and talkative. I wanted to keep seeing him after I returned to Japan. So I went back there every chance I got."  
  
Brad took a break from talking, staring down at his hands and remembering the attraction he had felt, the affection towards the blonde Irish man. Jei.  
  
"I wanted more than a friendship with him. He said he had a lover - that he couldn't betray his trust. But that was the only reason, not because he didn't want to be with me. Because he did. We both wanted to be together, he just didn't know how to make it work."  
  
He looked up then, staring in the rear view mirror, looking right at the man who had ruined everything.  
  
"And then he came," He spat out, "And made Jei into what he is today."  
  
"Whatever happened was your own fault," Shuldich hissed back. "I walked in on you kissing my boyfriend of four years. I don't know what happened, I just reacted. And you both got what was coming to you." He snapped his head back towards the window.  
  
"Nothing we could have done deserves what you did to Jei. You tore out his mind!"  
  
"Alright, I got that beginning part," Yohji broke in, "But now I'm confused again. Repeat that last bit?"  
  
"If you didn't want to face the consequences, you shouldn't have been there in the first place." Shuldich said with forced mildness.  
  
"Usually, cheating on someone doesn't have these types of consequences you bastard. You're going to find him, and take back whatever it is you did three years ago!"  
  
"If I could do that, it would have been done three years ago!" Shuldich said, going back to yelling.  
  
"I'm getting a headache." Yohji muttered to himself.  
  
"You didn't even try." Brad hissed. "It's your fault, you should take responsibility for your actions. Or lack thereof,"  
  
"Oh, like you're so much better," Shuldich sneered, switching tracks. "You have your own secret which you've been living off of for years. But you've never used it to help anyone else, have you? Only for your own good. Asshole."  
  
Brad looked shocked for a split second, but the emotion was quickly replaced by anger. "How the hell do you know that?" He growled, turning his head to look back at the red head, meeting the glare sent his way.  
  
"Do you even need to ask?" Shuldich sneered. "You knew what was going to happen if you stayed, didn't you? Why didn't you just leave when you were supposed to? Did you do it on purpose, you sadistic bastard?"  
  
Odd as Yohji found it, Shuldich seemed to be achieving a better mood directly in proportion with how mad he was making Crawford. "I need a drink," The blonde muttered to himself. He gave up trying to get any answers at all.  
  
"I didn't know what you were going to do! How the hell am I supposed to predict psychopaths?"  
  
"Don't lie to me, buddy. I know you knew something was going to happen! Why can't you just get out of my life?!"  
  
"It doesn't work like that! I knew something was going to happen, and I knew it had to do with you. So I stayed behind to protect him from you! And look at that, I was right. You did hurt him."  
  
"Because you were there!"  
  
"Exactly! I was there for him when you weren't! You should have known it wouldn't last, what with your abilities!"  
  
"I didn't know anything Jei didn't want me to know. I have some respect for privacy you know! And it's not like I can control it."  
  
"I'm sure you can't. I'm sure all of those 'accidents' in your past were just that, and you didn't mean for anyone to get hurt," Brad's voice was cold and sarcastic.  
  
"Shut up," Shuldich hissed.  
  
"Oh yes, that little boy you befriended in the orphanage," Brad was now taking the upper hand in the argument, and reveling in the power he had over the red head. "Died, didn't he? Jumped off a building, the orphanage said. Mysterious circumstances . . . I know your secret, and you're going to help me, or I swear to god I'll tell the government about this."  
  
"Right. And they'll believe you. I think not. Don't speak about matters you cannot even begin to comprehend - you don't know the slightest thing about my life. It wasn't my fault." Shuldich sounded defensive about his past - Yohji wondered what had happened to the boy Brad was talking about. Orphanage?  
  
"And you expect me to believe that, 'guilty'?" Brad said with malice.  
  
"Again, things you know nothing about, American boy."  
  
Yohji reached over to put some quiet music on. His headache was getting worse. He wondered if anyone would notice if he got one of the sample bottles of whisky out of the glove compartment. He glanced at the two men, locked in a staring contest neither could win.  
  
Yohji looked back at Shuldich with unease, thinking of what had just transpired in his office. Well, maybe one of them could win . . .  
  
"Hey, relax. We have a crazy man to find here people, save the yelling for when you're not in my car." He said, trying to placate both parties. They fell back into their seats with identical glowers.  
  
Yohji tried to put things into prospective. Brad and Jei - Farfarello - whatever. Shuldich and . . . whoever. Shuldich and craziness. Brad and more craziness. Oh, his day just kept getting better and better.  
  
Alright, Shuldich and uh, Jei were a couple three years ago, Brad and Jei cheated, Shuldich found out and, for lack of a better description, drove Jei insane. Jei becomes Farfarello, gets institutionalized, escapes and comes here after . . . who? Brad or Shuldich?  
  
And what was with the crazy mind powers? Brad - prediction? Sounded about right. And come to think of it, Brad did do awfully well on the stock market. Shuldich - sounded like telepathy. Hmm, interesting. And slightly creepy. Yohji wondered if Shuldich could be reading his mind right now . . .  
  
And he hoped that if the red head was doing any such thing, he was sharing in the headache that was now a bothersome ache behind Yohji's eyes. There were still so many questions. How had Shuldich and Jei met? Perhaps the orphanage Brad had mentioned. What had happened to the boy who had fallen off the roof? Allegedly fallen off, apparently.  
  
Three years. Three years ago, Yohji had been happy with Asuka. She'd still been alive and well. Actually, it was coming up to the anniversary of her death. Three years previously, Yohji had been too busy at work to come get her - to even take a small break to go tell her the date was off. Stupid.  
  
Three years ago, Shuldich was apparently happy with Jei. But Jei wasn't happy with Shuldich, or that's what it sounded like. He'd had an affair with Brad. Who'd missed his flight, and inadvertently caused the death of Asuka.  
  
Wait. Rewind. Three years, both of these events happened, at around the same time . . .? No way. There was no way they were connected. But . . .  
  
Yohji remembered the week Brad had spent away, not coming back even for his precious business. He remembered the melancholy mood the man had been in whenever he'd seen his old employee. He remembered the dates he'd tried to set the American up on, only to be rebuffed.  
  
Shit.  
  
"Eyes on the road!" Brad said from beside him, grabbing the steering wheel just in time to prevent Yohji from guiding the car into oncoming traffic. Yohji snapped out of his shock to pay attention to keeping them in one piece. But his mind was still swimming.  
  
He caught Shuldich's eyes in the rear view mirror, seeing the guilt written clearly there.  
  
"Sorry," Shuldich muttered softly to him. And Yohji knew that Shuldich knew, and that he was right about the timing. The flight Crawford had missed, the lover he'd lost, was the thing that caused Asuka's death.  
  
No. Yohji thought to himself. I've already worked this out. Braddy didn't cause Asuka's death. If anyone is to blame, it's me.  
  
"You should be," Brad said to Shuldich, misinterpreting the apology.  
  
"Not to you asshole." Shuldich snapped back. Yohji winced at the rancor in his voice. He was tired, and just wanted to get this over with. But he couldn't just leave the Irishman out on the streets, where he could cause harm to innocent people.  
  
He can cause harm to me, too, Yohji thought to himself.  
  
The sigh he heard come from the backseat proved that Yohji wasn't the only one tired of this whole situation.  
  
"Look, I'm tired of this. I'm tired of running, I'm tired of dealing with problems I'd rather stay buried, and I'm tired of this situation." Shuldich said, confirming Yohji's suspicions. "I'll help this one time. I'll try to fix him. But if it doesn't work, it's in your hands." He told Crawford.  
  
"Great," Yohji said with no little relief. "Now we just need to find the little bugger."  
  
"That way," Shuldich said, pointing to the left. "Take a left here, another left and a right. I think we may have to get into the alleys."  
  
Brad looked over at him. "You were hiding his whereabouts?"  
  
"Hey, I wasn't the one who wanted to find our happy crazy friend."  
  
Yohji just took it in stride. He'd been through too much today to take exception to his red head's little quirks of personality.  
  
Woah woah, wait a minute. His red head? Oh this was so not the time to get into these thoughts. Especially when he had a suspected telepath sitting in his back seat.  
  
: Ah, but I'm an extremely sexy telepath sitting in your back seat:  
  
Yes, that was indeed true. GAH!  
  
: Hmm, I could get used to this. Has anyone ever told you that you have a very spicy and sweet mind?:  
  
No, that wasn't really on the list of things he heard on a regular basis. Another thing he didn't get on a regular basis was people in his brain.  
  
Get out. He thought.  
  
: Er, yeah. About that. I'm not really much in control of the situation. I'll try not to hear your thoughts, but I can't control it that easily.:  
  
No wonder Jei felt stifled. Did you do this to him too?  
  
: No! Actually, this is the first time I've ever gone into someone else's mind. It's not really something I tried to flaunt - more like repress and ignore for as long as possible. It's quite interesting.:  
  
And Creepy. Let's not forget creepy.  
  
:I suppose. Then again, I might just start spending more time in here. Seems homier than my own brain. And you've got to admit, it's nice not being alone in your brain.:  
  
No no, I quite enjoy loneliness. Get out. Now.  
  
: Touchy touchy. Alright, leaving.:  
  
"Eyes on the road Dammit!" Brad said, grabbing the wheel again. Yohji realized that he was still driving. Only a few seconds had passed.  
  
: Yotan?: came Shuldich's mental voice. Yohji wondered if he could do the mental equivalent to a grunt. : I really am sorry. It was my fault, no matter what I tell that asshole you used to work for.:  
  
"Don't be a fool." Yohji said out loud. He didn't like to see Shuldich so meek. He would make it stop if he had to embarrass the other man into a fit of rage. Again. "You said it yourself, you didn't have any control over it. Just do your best at fixing it, and I'll call us even."  
  
Brad eyed them both suspiciously.  
  
"There, that alley. He's about three blocks away." Shuldich said, pointing to his right. Everyone started paying more attention to the area they had been led to. It was one of the darker, more run down parts of the city. The apartment buildings were interspersed with warehouses, which were either working or had been renovated into more living space. It was dark, dank, and one of the few places Yohji would rather hack off his own leg than wander into. Farfarello would fit in perfectly.  
  
Speaking of whom, there was a flash of white hair ahead of them, quickly disappearing down a smaller alley. Yohji spun the wheel bringing the car into a drift and trying to aim for the opening, gunning the engine when he was clear. The walls were mere inches away from the rear view mirrors, but he was too busy concentrating on driving to worry about his precious car.  
  
Shuldich was plenty worried. He watched the bricks of the buildings speed by, going at least forty kilometers an hour on the straights. How the hell was Farfarello running this fast?  
  
Brad was clutching the armrest and the door handle, his teeth gritted while he watched the man just ahead of them run full out, dodging around corners to try and shake them, slowing them down. But still, he was so god damned fast.  
  
Farfarello took a leap straight up while Yohji and Brad watched, grabbing hold of a fire escape and climbing up faster than a monkey on crack. Brad was out of the car and running before the tires had stopped spinning, followed by Yohji and Shuldich, who, being more concerned for their own health and welfare, did wait for the car to stop.  
  
They looked around briefly when they reached to roof of the warehouse they'd climbed up, trying to catch a glimpse of either Crawford or Farfarello.  
  
"There!" Yohji said, gesturing as he ran towards the two retreating forms. Damn, they were getting awfully close to the edge of the building.  
  
He watched them jump to the next roof. Oh goddamn.  
  
Alright Yotan, you can do this. You remember your high school days with Botan? You were always doing crazy shit like this.  
  
In the split second before jumping, he went over the events of the day.  
  
Well, maybe not quite as crazy as this.  
  
And then he landed on the other roof, Shuldich beside him. They ran after the two others.  
  
"Kudoh," Shuldich said from beside him.  
  
"What?" Yohji said, trying to save as much breath as possible for actual breathing.  
  
"What are we going to do when we catch him?"  
  
Oh fuck. That was a really good question. "Uh," Yohji replied in a fit of brilliance.  
  
: Oh brilliant.: Shuldich thought at him, echoing his own sarcastic thought. Hm, come to think of it, his own sarcastic mental was taking on a frighteningly scary similarity to Shuldich.  
  
: That's because I, unlike you, am brilliant. :  
  
Yes, modest too I see. Have I mentioned 'get out of my head' recently?  
  
: Right right. Oh look, another roof. :  
  
This was the craziest day of Yohji's life. Insane.  
  
He grinned as he lengthened his stride.  
  
Shuldich pulled ahead of Yohji as he saw the huge gap between two more buildings they were headed towards, and knew that Farfarello wouldn't be able to make this jump. He had to do something, but what could he do, other than the physical? His mind wasn't trained for this, he didn't know if he could do anything at all. Hell, he hadn't even known he could communicate with anyone using his weird gift/curse until he'd heard Yohji's rather inappropriate thoughts about him.  
  
Not that he minded those thoughts. On the contrary; it gave him a warm fuzzy feeling he wasn't quite sure he liked yet. What he did know, was that Yohji was a very addictive person, and he wanted to keep the blonde in his life.  
  
Damn him, he was stirring everything up in the German's life. He could have lived perfectly happily on his own before meeting the blonde, but Ooh no, Yohji just had to interfere in his life. He just had to care.  
  
Ack, not care. He didn't care, Shuldich thought, trying to snuff out the increase of fuzzy feeling he'd gotten upon this thought. Nonono. Stupid Euro-Asian.  
  
Farfarello slid to a stop at the edge of a building, close enough to send the gravel off onto the busy street below. He spun to face the three following him, barring his teeth and retrieving two knives from god-knew where.  
  
Shuldich and Brad advanced slowly, not wanting to make any sudden moves. Yohji stayed a reasonable distance away, something Shuldich thought prudent. He doubted Yohji could handle this situation.  
  
Farfarello threw himself at Brad, who moved like water to avoid him. Shuldich vaguely recognized some Aikido and Judo moves. The fool was trying not to hurt the madman.  
  
Shuldich launched his own series of punches, trying to work in concert with Crawford by adding some offense to the mix. Together, they managed to grab the Irishman, but didn't know what to do from there. They held the madman as he thrashed, trying everything to escape. Shuldich cried out as he was bitten on the upper arm.  
  
He noticed a form coming towards them, wincing as Farfarello kicked out at the newcomer. He was surprised as Yohji moved faster than normal people could see, appearing right infront of the Irishman. Oh no, not in biting distance . . .  
  
The thought was lost as the body he was holding jerked and spasmed before falling limp. He looked from the body to Brad to Yohji. "The hell?"  
  
Yohji backed away wearing an innocent smile and holding up a small black box.  
  
"The power of the tazer my friend. Never leave home without one."  
  
Shuldich stared at him for a moment. "Sometimes Yotan," He said slowly, "You scare me. What are you doing with a tazer?"  
  
"Well, you know how I was telling you about that time I would go out and get shit faced every night?"  
  
Shuldich nodded mutely.  
  
"I found out that in a bar fight, it doesn't matter if you have a black belt in kung-fu, you can still be put out by a big guy with a bar stool. So I got myself this nice little toy. Fun, huh?"  
  
"You are so weird."  
  
"I'm allowed to be weird. I'm in shock over this whole day." Yohji said with a shrug.  
  
Brad looked at them and shook his head before going back to gazing at Farfarello. "Lets get him back to the apartment."  
  
"Wait wait, what apartment?" Yohji asked suspiciously.  
  
"Yours of coarse." Brad said, hefting Farfarello's weight into his arms and starting towards where they could see a rusted ladder. Yohji was about to reply when Shuldich grinned and clapped him on the back.  
  
"Heh. You are the one who wanted to find him Yotan."  
  
"Hey, Braddy wanted to find him too," Yohji protested.  
  
"Yes, but he doesn't count. He's as insane as that other one. You're the one who convinced me to help." They followed Brad to the ladder, conversing on the way.  
  
"Aw, I didn't know you cared what I thought Shushu," Yohji teased.  
  
"Oh shut up. It was momentary insanity. I'm better now."  
  
"Your type of insanity doesn't get better Shushu." Yohji said, looking around them when they got to the ground. "Where the hell are we?"  
  
Shuldich mock-sighed and brushed past him. "Do I need to hold your hand in everything Yotan?"  
  
"It would be nice, yeah,"  
  
"Shut up both of you," Crawford cut in, stalking behind them. "I would like to know what you plan on doing about this, German,"  
  
Shuldich shrugged as he sauntered through the ally and towards the distant car. "Something will come to me." He edged around a pile of something that smelled like urine and rain water. Yohji jumped when the lump belched and twitched, and hurried to walk beside Shuldich. Crawford snarled and glared at the lump as he passed.  
  
Yohji approached his car, thankful that they hadn't taken too long. Any longer, and the inhabitants of the place would have swarmed all over it, trying to get their hands on anything stealable. Not that he blamed them - if he was in their position, living down here, he'd probably be the same. But he liked his car enough to strangle anyone who tried to mess with it.  
  
He curled up into his front seat, letting Shuldich and Brad argue over seating arrangements while he tried to get back some amount of normality in his life. He wasn't even going to think about everything that had happened until he was within reaching distance of a straight jacket and a bottle of very very strong whiskey.  
  
He turned the car on, feeling the soft vibration of the starting engine. He could just drive away, and not have to deal with any of this. He looked out to the two other conscious men still standing outside, meeting jade green eyes that looked at him with a mixture of worry and irritation. What was going on in that mind?  
  
But then the irritation cleared, and Yohji could only see the same man he'd seen in the bar almost three weeks ago. Shit. He couldn't leave that man alone.  
  
Then Brad was getting into the back with Farfarello, holding the other man ostensibly to keep him from running again. Probably more because he wanted to be near the madman.  
  
And he'd thought that Crawford was weird before he'd known of this.  
  
Yohji relaxed somewhat in the car, falling into the rhythm of the road easily.  
  
The drive was much too short.  
  
Real Authors Note: Well, I have exams coming up, as well as a thousand last minute tests and projects, so working on this is hard. Summer is coming up though, and there's only eight chapters in this fic. Almost done. Also, I went to Anime North and got much manga. It was good. Also gave me my muse back, which I really needed for that beginning scene. Oh, and I found out that writing more fics is definitely not a good way to get over writers block, it just makes you busier. But it's so much fun . . .neither of the new ones is finished, but one is a Harry Potter fic, (Yes, this is a shameless plug,) and the other is a Yohji x Farfarello. Bwahahaha. Um, yeah, neither of them are up, but if you're interested, gimme a shout.  
  
Lemme see, next on the agenda is THANK YOU to everyone who has reviewed. I haven't given you people nearly enough praise, and believe me, you deserve it. I LOVE YOU ALL. You make this worth writing, even when I want to kick my monitor in. Special thanks goes to everyone who reviews on a regular basis, especially MiniMorr and Chibi-Chan, who have added me to their 'Favorite Stories' list. The rest of you, I will list you at the end of this fic, and I'm not ignoring you at all. 


	8. Sorting It Out

Disclaimer: I don't own. Don't sue.  
  
SORRY SORRY SORRY it took so long. THANK YOU for Reviewing.  
  
++++++++++++++++ Wednesday afternoon, two days left.  
  
Yohji turned off the car with a sense of uncertainty. He had a madman in his back seat. The two people he was counting on to keep him under control were either insane themselves, or had some weird psy powers. Certainty was not a word he'd use to describe his life at the moment.  
  
"So," He said, "what now?"  
  
"Now we take him up to somewhere secure, and this German friend of yours," Brad gave Shuldich a dirty look at this, "is going to fix him."  
  
Shuldich rolled his eyes and got out of the car, not bothering to mention, yet again, that it wasn't that easy. Yohji sat and thought for a moment, waiting for everyone to get out before he slowly followed them into the building.  
  
The first place Brad, hauling Farfarello, headed for was the office, the only part of the upper stories that he was at all familiar with. He stopped in the door, looking at the shards of glass everywhere.  
  
"This may not be the best place to put the knife - crazy madman," Shuldich said sarcastically from behind Brad's shoulder. Brad looked at him in irritation, but did not deign to reply. Instead, he raised his eyebrows at Yohji, shifting the burden he held in his arms. The Irishman hadn't stirred this whole time, but Yohji knew that it was only a matter of time before his body recovered from the shock he'd been given. He sighed, knowing that there was only one place the man could be kept secure.  
  
"This way," He said, motioning them to follow him up to the fourth floor. He led them to the bedroom, where his wonderful soft bed sat, just waiting for him to lie down and sleep. Then he would wake up tomorrow and life would be back to normal, and none of this would have happened at all. . .  
  
He gestured for Brad to put Farafrello down on the bed as he went to the closet, getting out some soft, non-abrasive rope. The silence in the room stretched as he tied the rope expertly around the Irishman's arms, legs and torso, and to small yet sturdy parts of the bed. After he was finished his task, he turned, meaning to get answers as to what the Hell was going on. Instead, he found himself the center of two very strange looks.  
  
"What?" he asked, surprised.  
  
"Where did you learn that?" Shuldich asked, suspicion lacing his words.  
  
"Learn what?"  
  
A gesture towards the bed. "How to tie a person to a bed . . . for that matter, where did you get that rope? That isn't something you pick up at a convenience store,"  
  
"Er, what makes you say that?"  
  
"Yohji, it has little fluffy bits," Shuldich said with exaggerated patience.  
  
Yohji blushed. "I don't see what that has to do with -"  
  
"It's sparkly for god's sake!" Brad said.  
  
The man on the bed started to stir, saving Yohji from having to answer.  
  
"Fucking hell." came the indistinct mutter from the bed. One amber eye focused painfully on them as the madman snarled and tried to lunge at them. "Kill you all, make you bleed!" He cried as he struggled.  
  
Yohji stepped behind Shuldich and put a hand on his shoulder. "Well then, do your thing." He said to the other man.  
  
"And what exactly do you suggest I do?" the red head asked over the ever increasing volume of death threats.  
  
"Dunno, think at him? This isn't exactly my area of expertise you know."  
  
"Yeah," Shuldich said, looking towards the bed, "join the club."  
  
Shuldich closed his eyes, trying to relax and think at the person lying on the bed, who had begun muttering obscene things at them while trying to struggle out of his bonds.  
  
Brad took a step forward but stopped when the madman grinned evilly at him. He then stood back to watch the German intently. Farfarello growled at this and doubled his efforts.  
  
Shuldich let out a breath and opened his eyes with a frown. "This would be a whole lot easier if he was still knocked out." He said. "Yohji, give me your tazer."  
  
"Eh?" Yohji said, unthinkingly handing over the small weapon. Shuldich took it and headed towards the bed. He was almost within an arms reach when Brad stepped in front of him with a scowl.  
  
"You are not tazering him again," He stated.  
  
"First off," Shuldich bit out, "I was not the one who tazered him in the first place, so I can hardly do it again. Second off, if you have a better idea of getting him unconscious, I'd be glad to hear it."  
  
Brad glared some more, but did not move. They were at a deadlock for a time, wherein Shuldich seriously considered tazering both of the men in front of him. It was ended when Yohji snapped his fingers and smiled.  
  
"I have the perfect thing," He said, leaving the room for a tense moment and coming back with a medical needle and jar in his hands. He was busy inserting the needle into the rubber at the top of the jar, expertly preparing to administer whatever the drug was. Brad and Shuldich both looked equally surprised as Yohji flicked and squirted, making sure of the absence of air bubbles. He nodded in satisfaction and started towards the bed, but was stopped by Brad just as Shuldich had been. This time, Shuldich could have sworn he heard the American growl.  
  
Yohji looked surprised at the resistance he was meeting. "It's a sedative Bradley," He said, his voice soft despite the usual mocking name. "It won't hurt him at all, I promise,"  
  
Farfarello eyed the scene suspiciously, falling silent for once as he stared at the men before him. He watched as Brad hesitated, then stepped aside allowing Yohji to pass and administer the sedative.  
  
The three men stepped back as Farfarello let out a soft whine and slipped back into slumber, relief showing on all of their faces. Shuldich turned toward Yohji, suspicious and confused.  
  
"Alright," he snarled, "Where the hell did you get that," he pointed to the half empty bottle, "and learn how to use it?"  
  
"Ah . . . natural instinct?"  
  
"You're part of a drug ring, aren't you," Shuldich accused.  
  
"Er," said Yohji. "No. it's just that, you know, some of the girls around here - guys too, for that matter - get a little . . . clingy."  
  
Shuldich leveled a disbelieving stare at the man in front of him. "Clingy." He repeated.  
  
"Yeah. Sometimes, they need a bit of, um, dissuasion."  
  
"I . . . don't think I want to know,"  
  
Brad cleared his throat. "Now that that's all cleared up," he said sarcastically, "you, start fixing him. You," he looked at Yohji sharply, "put that needle away."  
  
"Aw, Braddy, are you scared of getting your shots?" Yohji teased, while wrapping the needle in the disposable plastic covering.  
  
"No," Brad bit out, "but I am afraid of you with sharp objects."  
  
Yohji looked put out, but put the needle aside. And then they sat down to wait. Brad claimed the only chair in the room, glaring when one of the others opened their mouths to protest. Yohji relaxed against the wall, watching Shuldich as he sat with eyes closed, facing the bed.  
  
And they waited. And waited. For nearly three hours they sat in almost complete stillness, the occasional shifting of position sounding like a landslide to their tortured ears.  
  
Yohji was considering prodding Shuldich with a stick, just to make sure he was still awake, when his stomach let out a very audible growl. The two other men looked at the figure resting on the bed in alarm, expecting him to be the source of the noise, or wake up because of it. They turned to Yohji when his stomach rumbled yet again.  
  
"Anyone hungry?" he asked his companions sheepishly. Brad turned away, but Shuldich nodded tiredly. Stress was beginning to show around his eyes, Yohji saw. He wondered what was going on in his mind as he walked to the kitchen.  
  
He surveyed his choice of food, opening the cupboards and fridge wide. He had . . . mushroom soup in a can. Damn, he'd forgotten that it was time to shop. Well, mushroom soup it was - he doubted that the others would appreciate delivery under the circumstances.  
  
He was pouring the soup into two bowls when he heard activity coming from his room. He nearly groaned at the prospect of more drama. It sounded like the two men were yelling at each other.  
  
"Can't leave them in the same room for five minutes," he muttered as he walked rapidly to his room, soup in hand.  
  
The two men were indeed yelling at each other, over the quite awake, and almost free Farfarello.  
  
"You were supposed to be watching him!" Shuldich was yelling.  
  
"Well it's not my fault he's not fixed yet! What were you doing, sleeping?"  
  
Yohji did an admirable job of tuning the fight out as he placed the soup on the bed side table and went to get a new needle. It was no use talking to either of them right now, they'd just snap at him. While in the bathroom, rooting around under the sink, he heard a crash and a yell. He rested his forehead on the lip of the counter, trying not to think of the state his bedroom would be in by the end of the day.  
  
He returned to the bedroom and stood in the doorway, calculating the damage. The bedside table was overturned along with the soup. Which was, Yohji thought in despair, the only source of food for the moment. He was slightly vindicated to see that some of the soup had landed on Shuldich's nice red shirt, creating quite the contrast. He instantly forgot the thought as he took in the fact that the madman was attached to Shuldich's shoulder in the most painful way - by the teeth. His hands were being held by brad, but the damage had obviously been done. There were scratch marks on Brad's cheek, trailing a small amount of blood. Shuldich's shirt had been pulled partway off, popping off the two top buttons and exposing the four scratch marks on his chest.  
  
His very nicely toned chest, Yohji thought. Now is hardly the time, he thought at his hormones. He hurriedly grabbed the bottle filled with clear sedative and prepped the needle, taking the time to make sure it was done right. He considered briefly, very briefly, leaving an air bubble in the needle, and seeing an end to the problem this madman posed. But no, that would bring about a whole new set of problems, not the least of which would be Brad's wrath. He pushed his way to the hands Brad was holding, with some difficulty, and administered the drug.  
  
All three collapsed as Farfarello glared, but submitted to slumber yet again.  
  
"Shit. We can't keep doing that to him, too much could be lethal," Yohji said to no one in particular. "What the hell happened?"  
  
Crawford opened his mouth with a frown, looking towards Shuldich, who was sitting with his eyes closed and hand to his shoulder. "Che," was what came out of Brad's mouth, instead of the expected accusation. He looked away, then said, "We weren't watching him. He got his hands loose. We tried to restrain him."  
  
Always to the point, was Bradley.  
  
Yohji got up and started to pick up the fallen objects. The soup was, regrettably, a lost cause, most of which was on the bed. He got a few towels to sop it up, and placed his bed side table further away. He then checked the ropes, very carefully, before turning to Shuldich, who hadn't moved at all. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, sitting slumped on the floor. Yohji turned to get a first aid kit, when they all heard a horrifying noise.  
  
It came again, as they stared. A ring. They turned to the telephone and stared at it with the type of look reserved for those who have woken to find very large spiders on their chests.  
  
Brad looked at Yohji, and mouthed 'You're not home!' as if the phone would hear him. They let it ring through to the answering machine.  
  
"You're there . . ." it said, "And I'm not here . . . so, leave a message after the tone."  
  
"Yotan? Yotan, I know you're there." Said a familiar voice. Yohji winced as he heard his best friend leaving a message. If Botan said he knew Yohji was there, he knew. It was just that simple. "Listen, I know you weren't feeling so hot last time we talked, so Ran and I are coming over to make you some dinner. And don't you dare try to get out of this by saying that you're going to work, I know you have too much to do as it is. We'll be over in - "  
  
Yohji picked up the phone frantically. "No! Don't come over Botan! . . . Because I'm, uh, busy, Very Busy! . . . No no! It's fine! Everything is good! . . . Yeah . . . sure, tomorrow night is fine . . . Okay . . . Yeah, bye."  
  
A collective sigh went up as the phone was set down. Even Shuldich registered relief through his fatigue. Yohji got the first aid kit, and started helping Shuldich with the bite mark while Brad tried to clean up the bed.  
  
"You might want to get stitches for this," Yohji said quietly.  
  
"You mean you can't do that, too?" Shuldich teased lightly, his eyelids drooping.  
  
"Hey, I might look like perfection incarnate, but . . ."  
  
Shuldich and Brad rolled their eyes in unison. "Nothing could be farther from the truth," Brad finished for him.  
  
"Braddy," Yohji said, looking hurt, "you wound me,"  
  
Brad looked at him sternly, one eyebrow raised in consternation. But the edges of his mouth were softened in an almost - smile, for anyone who knew how to look.  
  
"Brad," Yohji said, his expression turning serious, "if he gets his mind back, what will you do?" Shuldich looked up with interest, his hands stilling over the medical tape he was using.  
  
"I . . . it depends. If he remembers, I don't know what I'll do, or if I'll even know him anymore."  
  
"If he doesn't though," Yohji said, not finishing the sentence, but leaving the question there nonetheless.  
  
"We'll leave. Go somewhere quiet, somewhere he won't be questioned, and try to work things out. He can't stay here, with so many people, and I won't leave him alone." The last was said with such ferocity that neither of the men listening thought to question him.  
  
There was silence for a time, while everyone tried to pretend that they were doing something, while actually just buying time to think. Finally, after twenty minutes, Brad sighed and put down his towel. He glared at the bed while he said, "This is a lost cause. It will have to be washed."  
  
"Shit," Yohji said, looking at it. He had been using Momo-san's washer and dryer to do his laundry, but the washing machine had recently broken, leaving Yohji with very few clothes or sheets. "Alright, let's get him into the living room, and I'll try to find some sheets we can use."  
  
Yohji and Brad manhandled Farfarello into Brad's arms, yet again, and started to take him out into the living room. Yohji stopped Shuldich as he started to follow.  
  
"You should finish that up," he said, pointing at the scratch marks that Shuldich had left un-bandaged. "It can infect easily,"  
  
Shuldich nodded wearily and went to sit on the bed, placing his head in his hands and staring into the distance in a daze. Yohji went to help Brad watch Farfarello and look for his few remaining sheets. The two conscious men froze when there was a knock on the door.  
  
Yohji spun around from where he had been rooting through the closet, looking wildly at Brad. "Shit," Yohji hissed. "Aren't you supposed to know when this stuff is going to happen?!"  
  
"It hasn't really been top priority," Brad hissed back, looking almost as panicked, in his own way, as Yohji.  
  
"Fuck." Yohji looked around before inspiration struck. "Hide in the closet."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Hide in the closet. I'll tell him I was working or something. Just, hide!"  
  
"Tell who? What - " but that was all Brad got out until a look of understanding crossed his features. He had either figured it out, as Yohji had, or had gotten a vision. Yohji suspected it was the latter, as Brad couldn't possibly know Botan as well as Yohji did.  
  
After making sure the two men were suitably hidden in the closet, Yohji went to answer the door. Sure enough, there was Botan, Ran in tow. Botan was holding a key to the door as it swung open. Yohji cursed himself for giving the man a spare key. Yohji took a deep breath.  
  
"Botan."  
  
"Yotan!"  
  
The difference of tone was incredible.  
  
"Um. Now isn't really a good time," Yohji started, as he had on the phone. But Botan knew his friend, and knew when he was trying to keep something a secret. He brushed past Yohji with relative ease, and started surreptitiously inspecting the apartment.  
  
"Nonsense," He said, peeking under a couch cushion. "You're hiding something, and I'm curious. Yohji, I've known you for most of my life. Why would you keep a secret from me?"  
  
"Uh," was all Yohji could think to say. He was caught by the hurt look in his friends eyes, a look full of betrayal. Botan always did know how to make Yohji spill his guts. "It's really nothing," He said weakly, after much too long of a pause.  
  
Botan sighed and looked away. "Fine. If you really don't want to tell me, fine. I'll just, go. Alone." He considered a theatric sniffle, but upon seeing Ran roll his eyes and cross his arms, thought better of it.  
  
"It's really . . . nothing," Yohji repeated, weaker than the first time. Botan started to trudge to the door, away from where Yohji had unthinkingly placed himself. In front of the bedroom door, where Shuldich was. He started to follow, not noticing that he was leaving the door unguarded to the other member of Botan's team. Ran decided to have a peek at what Yohji was hiding.  
  
Yohji turned around to see Ran opening the door to his bedroom, where Shuldich was sitting, unsuspecting to the secret they had to keep for Brad's and Farfarello's sakes. He started to object, but only got out a small, "Nnn," before Botan was bounding past him. Shit.  
  
The two stood, staring in the doorway. Alright Yohji, time for some damage control, he thought to himself, hurrying to the two uninvited guests.  
  
"It isn't what it looks like," He said, a bit desperately. And then he looked through the door.  
  
Shuldich was sitting in a messy bed, the binding ties, fluff and sparkles and all, still hanging off the edges. They'd caught him in the process of redoing his shirt, which had two buttons missing, and showed the edges of four, obviously human scratch marks. To top it all off, he looked exhausted and disheveled.  
  
In brief, he looked thoroughly debauched.  
  
Botan started to snicker. Ran's smile had widened. Inspiration struck yet again.  
  
"On the other hand," Yohji said, "Yes, it is what it seems. Very much so. And if you wouldn't mind, we were busy. Very Busy." He leveled a stare at Botan, who was trying to keep his laughter in.  
  
"Hehe, I'll bet," Botan said, starting to turn away. Before leaving the door, Botan gave Shuldich a cocky wink. Shuldich blinked blearily at them, then looked down at himself and his surroundings. Yohji went to see Botan and Ran out the door, but not before catching the slight widening of the redhead's eyes. Hoo boy. He thought, I'm going to catch hell for this one.  
  
"Look," Botan said at the door, obviously warring with humor and honest regret. "I'm sorry for coming. I didn't mean to interrupt or anything. I just. . ."  
  
Yohji shook his head. He understood that Botan was curious. He didn't like it, especially in the position he was in, but he understood. "It's ok. Just, next time wait for a little bit before crashing the proverbial party."  
  
"No problem. We still on for tomorrow night?"  
  
And it was as easy as that. Botan and Ran were gone from the house, and Yohji sighed in relief yet again. It was becoming a habit.  
  
He turned to see a shell shocked Shuldich stumble out of his room, eyes wide and hands still on his shirt buttons.  
  
"Wha-" was his confused reaction.  
  
Yohji fought to hide his grin. "That was Botan and Ran," He said. Then he couldn't control his laughter, and he collapsed against the wall in the much needed hilarity.  
  
Shuldich sputtered. "But they thought . . . we didn't . . . and you didn't correct them!"  
  
This made Yohji laugh all the harder, and push off from the wall, towards the affronted man. "S-sorry," he managed. He put his hands on the other man's shoulders, calming down to a sparkling smile, and the odd chuckle. He looked into the redheads eye's as he voiced his next thought. "Would it really be that bad?"  
  
"You-! You're not gay!"  
  
"No, of course not. You think I'd keep this," and he gestured down to his body, "from the women? Or the men? A crime worthy of capital punishment my man."  
  
Brad chose this moment to come out of the closet, with Farfarello. "They're gone? Good. I found the sheets." He deposited Farfarello on the couch and glared pointedly at the two other men, a clear warning to watch for danger. Then he went to make the bed.  
  
"Hm, he's starting to sound downright domestic," Yohji commented. He realized that Shuldich was still staring at him. "What?"  
  
"How can you just accept all of this?! What is wrong with you?!" He brought his hands up to where Yohji's rested on his shoulders.  
  
"Would it make any difference if I had a tantrum about it?" Yohji asked, with perfect logic.  
  
Shuldich collapsed his head on Yohji's shoulder, showing his exhaustion. "No." He answered. "But you should. To show me that you're still sane. Whatever that is anymore."  
  
"Aa," Yohji said to the head resting so near to his. "What are you going to do about him?"  
  
"I don't know," Shuldich said, and in his voice was as much helplessness as Yohji had heard from him in their short, two and a half week acquaintance. "I keep trying to find some trace of Jei, the person I knew before. But if he's there, I don't know how to find him. I just can't get in,"  
  
Yohji heard the frustration, and tried to think of any way he could help. "Have you tried finding out more about who he is now?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well . . . I don't know anything about this, but it seems to me that you're looking for someone who doesn't exist anymore. What about trying to connect with who he is now, and taking it from there?"  
  
"I - that might work . . ."  
  
"But . . .?"  
  
"But. It's difficult - I don't want to - to connect with him. What if -" he cut himself off before the thought could be completed. But it was still there.  
  
"Hey, Braddy and me are still here. If we think anything is going wrong, we'll pull you out. I promise."  
  
Shuldich snorted. "That man wouldn't care if I died, as long as he thought there was some way to get Jei back."  
  
"I would care. Can't you, I don't know, do that thing with the thoughts again? Only, while you're trying to get into Farfarello's mind?"  
  
"What, you mean go into your mind? You *want* me in your head?" Shuldich brought up his head to look incredulously at the man in front of him.  
  
"Eh. I don't mind all that much," Yohji said with a shrug.  
  
Shuldich shook his head. "You're crazier than he is," he said, gesturing with his head to the couch.  
  
Yohji merely raised an eyebrow, his smile still lingering on his lips. "So, you think it will work?"  
  
"It's worth a try. Better than anything I've been trying so far," He looked away, uncertain. "As long as you're sure -"  
  
"I'm sure." Yohji said, squeezing Shuldich's shoulders once, and giving him a large smile.  
  
Shuldich gave him a smile that was both open and sincere. Yohji blushed and looked down at his feet, not wanting the other to know how cute he looked like that. When he looked back up from beneath his eyelashes, he was met with a different smile. This one was full of mischief, almost like the one he wore when he was manipulating someone into feeling nervous or shy . . .  
  
Hey, wait a minute . . . Am I *blushing*?!  
  
++++++++  
  
They got Farfarello placed on the bed, and tied tightly. Yohji brought in a few couch cushions for him and Shuldich to sit on, and he sat, looking at the other man expectantly. All trace of nervousness from before was gone, replaced by a cold efficiency. Shuldich was a man on a mission, and he wouldn't screw it up.  
  
At first, Yohji didn't feel anything out of the ordinary. But then he started to feel like his brain was too full, like he had too many thoughts and emotions. And then, he wasn't in his own head at all, but rather somewhere outside, attached to another. It was from this other that he gained direction, and that direction was to the man on the bed.  
  
The man was difficult to understand, as he had very few human characteristics at all. Yohji started to think of him as more of an animal. And the more he thought on it, the more sense it made - all the reactions of this man had been ones that an animal would make, from the killing instinct of a predator, who had been in captivity for much too long, to the fight or flight reaction when faced with the only man he saw as a real danger.  
  
He shared this thought with Shuldich, who was with him in his examination of the man on the bed. Felt the acceptance of it as fact by the other.  
  
Then, the main part that Yohji thought of as Shuldich was gone, leaving behind a small thread of himself in Yohji's keeping. And he knew that this was important, that he should keep watch over this until the other got back.  
  
He did something then that he was getting frustratingly used to. He settled back to wait.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
Shuldich was surprised to note that Yohji was right about the man who's mind he had been trying to enter for the last several hours. He was more animal like than human, in that he didn't experience the full range of emotions human's experienced. He felt no guilt, no shame for what he'd done. He didn't even know that it was wrong.  
  
But beneath that, there were smaller parts, parts of him that had been buried until they no longer had any say in what this man did or even thought. Here was where Shuldich found what he was looking for.  
  
He realized then, that he was looking at a person's psyche. It had many different aspects to it, some more prominent than others. The need for freedom, to stay alive, to hunt was at the very top, playing the biggest role. But under all of that, he found the desire to be happy, to please others, to find a home. He found all the things he had liked about Jei.  
  
And at the very bottom, almost hiding, cowering, was what Shuldich had hoped, but not expected to find. The thing that made Jei who he was. This was the memory of Jei, the personality that all these aspects worked on and from. The animal instinct had just taken him over, gotten control where it only supposed to influence.  
  
And Shuldich knew that it was his fault, because he was the one who had threatened Jei, making him use the more basic instincts of self preservation. Because Shuldich was what he was, he had stayed that way. He knew too, that it would be very easy to fall under the sway of this aspect himself.  
  
He gave the small tether he'd given to Yohji a quick pull, to make sure he couldn't get lost. He didn't know what he was doing, but he was willing to trust his instincts on this one. Shuldich scratched his proverbial head as he surveyed the situation, and tried to come up with a suitable plan.  
  
He started trying to pull the huddled ball of what he'd identified as Jei out of it's hiding, but it just dug itself deeper into it's own unconscious. So, he started the long process of luring Jei out.  
  
+++++++++  
  
Yohji ran a hand over tired eyes as he waited for something - anything to happen. They'd been sitting there for more time than he wanted to think about, waiting. Aside from a quick whimper from Farfarello early on, nothing had happened.  
  
He looked over to where Brad waited, more patiently than Yohji thought he'd be waiting if he was in Bradley's place. But then, Yohji thought to himself, He's been waiting for this long already.  
  
Yohji almost flinched when the Irishman started to stir on the bed. Both he and Brad were tensed to the point of muscle seizure when one amber eye opened, wincing at the harsh unnatural light. Dark had long past fallen.  
  
He opened his mouth to speak, and it seemed like the world held its breath.  
  
"Brad? What's going on? Where are we?" He tried to sit up, only to find himself tightly bound. "The hell? Brad?" He looked to the American for answers to his questions. Then he caught sight of Shuldich, kneeling on the cushion and head against the bed. "Shuldich!"  
  
He looked scared both for and of the German who had not stirred. Yohji left this conversation to Brad to work out, as he stared at the German. Why wasn't he waking up?  
  
+++++++++++  
  
He'd done it. The goal he'd set out to achieve was complete. Why was it so important again? He couldn't remember. He was just tired, so very, very tired. It was warm here, and nice. He could just drift forever.  
  
Because he was finished. Finished what? He couldn't remember that either now. What was it that he'd had to do? It didn't matter anymore, it was done.  
  
He could drift, forever.  
  
But something wasn't right. Some small part of him was still attached, pulling him back.  
  
Who was he? He didn't know, and felt that that should alarm him. But he was too tired, and too comfortable, and if it wasn't for that damn tug he could just leave dammit.  
  
Where was he going? He was sure it wasn't as nice as the place he was enjoying now. He was somehow certain that he wouldn't enjoy whatever he was going back to.  
  
So he was going to cut this tie that was binding him, and be free of the pain that was sure to come. It was so easy. He just had to think about it hard enough, and that little tether would be cut. Free.  
  
Why was he hesitating?  
  
What was that whisper he kept hearing?  
  
It was so faint, he barely heard it . . .  
  
What was it saying? The need to concentrate was divided between this little string, and the whisper.  
  
He chose to concentrate on the whisper, coming closer and closer until he could hear the words.  
  
Why isn't he waking up? Come on Shu, wake up . . . I know you're still there, I know you can hear me . . . Wake up Dammit . . .  
  
And then he realized that the little annoying tether was leading here too. He was angry at himself for not cutting it when he had the chance, but then . . .  
  
Did he really want to go?  
  
No.  
  
No, he would wake up.  
  
Right now.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
TBC  
  
Haha, yes, I'm leaving it at that. I promise, the next chapter is going to be out soon, and will wrap things up nicely. Things such as, what the hell is Brad going to do with a previously insane Jei? Does Jei remember, and if so, will Brad tell him what happened? And how will Yohji and Shu get along after this? And, MOST IMPORTANT: did anyone catch the coming out of the closet deal? Haha, I enjoyed writing that. Um.  
  
Alright, so, next chapter hopefully within a week. And yes, it will be a lemon. Yay!  
  
THANK YOU REVIEWERS!!!!!!!! You people are the only reason I haven't' lost heart. I love you all. 


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